Vice-Regent of Malang, H. Sanusi on Tuesday (15/Mar/2016) took time to visit Faculty of Agriculture University of Brawijaya (FP-UB) to talk about efforts in seeking breakthrough for agriculture in Malang Regency. In addition to improve crop productivity, also eagerness to change the existing conventional agriculture into tourism destination.
“Firstly we will have potential area mapping to be managed. Afterwards Faculty of Agriculture University of Brawijaya along with its science and technology resource, and also relations could be integrated thus agriculture in Malang Regency will be more passionate later on, even finally farmers will take profits. Food security by itself will continuously to run,” Sanusi explained.
Sanusi added that his desire to seek the other side of farmers to produce crops also becoming agricultural tourism destination thus their income could be increased. Hopefully Faculty of Agriculture could create changes for Malang Regency to be better through research, with main purpose to increase farmers’ income.
Head of Technical Implementation Unit of Business and Agropreneur Development Faculty of Agriculture University of Brawijaya, Dr. Ir. Bambang Tri Rahardjo, SU advised that currently Malang District has lots of potency, particularly in Kasembon whose soil fertility is quite good. Crop average productivity reaches 12 tons. Recently has been running a field school at UPT Kasembon aimed to build efficient and environmental-friendly agriculture that gives added value for productivity in reasonable approach. Dr. Ir. Gatot Mudjiono who also a field school initiator added that Faculty of Agriculture has various agriculture models to be implemented in the ground. Thereafter, Ir. Didik Suprayogo, M.Sc., PhD as Agroforestry activist and Head of Agriculture Consideration Agency of Faculty of Agriculture University of Brawijaya explained the uniqueness of agro-forestry in Malang Regency, thus if being wrapped in educational information in such a way could be a tourism package.
“Pests and Plant diseases Department has plans to establish a butterfly park complete with a floral garden. Till recent, has identified around 150 butterfly species in Malang,” said Dean of Faculty of Agriculture University of Brawijaya, Prof. Dr. Ir. Nuhfil Hanani AR., MS in similar occasion. The further step is outlining how the existing farming in Malang can grow up, its community and tourism could be prosperous. Firstly we identify district region which has agro-tourism potency and preparing master-plan at once. [waw/Humas UB/trans. Denok]
