Students of Universitas Brawijaya (UB) who are members of the Student Executive Board of FPIK UB assist the residents of Sengkrakan Hamlet RW 09 Bedali Village, Lawang District, Malang Regency in processing livestock waste in the form of cow dung into compost. This activity aims at fostering student creativity in creating useful works from waste, improve the welfare of the surrounding community, and protect the environment from potential pollutants.
Compost is a type of organic fertilizer that comes from the decomposition of organic waste.
Basically composting can occur naturally, but human intervention can speed up the process.
Composting can be done easily and reduces the accumulation of livestock waste.
In addition to make compost that is easy and relatively inexpensive, compost, which is basically organic fertilizer, has less risk than chemical fertilizers, so many farmers switch to compost.
Community Service, which is incorporated in the youth organization (Taruna Desa) work program, is motivated by the livelihoods of the hamlet residents as cattle breeders which produce piles of cow dung and have no solution for the use of the waste so that most of it is just piled on a land, while the rest is simply thrown into the river. .
“We as students who are called as the “Agents of Change” should be able to provide a useful change from the problems in the village,” said Jihan Nabilah Yusmi.
Compost made from the main ingredients of resident cow dung with the addition of EM4, maltose, and water that is designed to reduce livestock waste that accumulates which has the potential to pollute air, soil, and water.
The results of the compost packaging will be sold and distributed to local residents because beside of the main livelihood of being breeders, the residents are also farmers so that the compost will benefit to the residents’ crops.
Anisa Fitriah as the Director General of Community Empowerment BEM FPIK UB said that this program is one way to help environmental problems in fostered villages by processing livestock waste into useful goods that have economic value and are useful.
The village youth activity is chaired by Jordi Anugrah Lumban Raja, the responsible person of the waste treatment program is Jihan Nabilah Yusmi, and assisted by staff and volunteers from the Ministry of Community Social Affairs, as well as the community in Sengkrakan Hamlet, and guided by the Minister of Community Social Affairs Alya Salsabila Puteri, Minister of the Environment Putri Yoga, and Director General of Community Empowerment Anisa Fitriah. (JJA/Humas UB/ Trans. Iir).
