During September 2018, graduate students that joined in Himpunan Mahasiswa Pascasarjana (HMP; Graduate Students’ Association) Faculty of Animal Science UGM were devoted their time in community service in Prambanan. Funded through Graduate Program’s Grant scheme, students organized various weekly activities for Ngudi Mulyo Farmer’s Association in Klero, Sumberharjo, Prambanan Regency.
In executing the program, students were supervised by a lecturer from Faculty of Animal Science UGM, Ir. Nafiatul Umami, S.Pt., M.Sc., Ph.D., IPM. The program was initiated by student’s concern on the poor animal production in the target community. For instance, the forage management is still carried out traditionally. Thus, it does not efficiently support the animal production. Furthermore, farmers in the target community have lacking knowledge on the packaging and branding method that possibly could be used to improve the marketability of cattle’s faecal-based fertilizer they produce.
Students, together with some lecturers from Faculty of Animal Science UGM to give a brief presentation, addressing those aforementioned challenges. They also trained farmers in implementing some technology that can improve their animal production. On the first week, farmers were trained in making animal’s supplement in form of mineral block after receiving a brief talk in forage management.
On the second week, farmers were engaged in a discussion regarding animal reproduction’s challenges they are facing, i.e. the failure of artificial insemination. Lately, farmers were also trained on packaging and branding of fertilizer they have produced. Hopefully, farmers in the target community not only gained some new knowledge, but also attained some skill that can be used to enhance their farming practice. (sj)