On Monday, December 4th, the Dean of the Faculty of Biology at UGM, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiadi Daryono, M. Agr.Sc., along with the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration, and Alumni Affairs, Dr. Eko Agus Suyono, M.App.Sc., responded to an invitation from the Head of Kedungpoh Village to accompany the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuono X, at the inauguration of the Mataraman Granary in Kedungpoh. The Mataraman Granary in Kedungpoh is an area dedicated to organic integrated farming managed voluntarily by a collaboration of 10 Women Farmers Groups (KWT) in Kedungpoh, funded by the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Covering an area of 1.6 hectares, the Mataraman Granary features three greenhouses for melon and grape cultivation, seedlings, two fish ponds, and a cattle pen housing 5 cows. Currently, plans are underway to construct an additional greenhouse for organic chrysanthemum cultivation intended for chrysanthemum tea and chrysanthemum leaf chips.
Since 2019, Kedungpoh has been a partner village of the Faculty of Biology at UGM. The Community Service Team accompanying this village includes Drs. Hari Purwanto, MP, Ph.D., Soenarwan Hery P., S.Si.,M.Kes., Dwi Umi Siswanti, S.Si.,M.Sc., and Ludmilla Fitri Untari, S.Si.,M.Sc. This team has been assisting Kedungpoh Village in achieving its vision as an edu-tourism village based on local potential, focusing on honey bee farming, integrated organic farming, and community forests. The Community Service Team’s performance has been recognized and has received funding from CSR PLN from 2019 to 2023, and the support is expected to continue into 2024.
During the inauguration of the Mataraman Granary, the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, accompanied by the Regent of Gunung Kidul, also officially opened the Eduwisata Kampung Madu Kedungpoh Lor, which is a partner of the Community Service Team of the Faculty of Biology and CSR PLN. Eduwisata Kampung Madu is a tripartite project involving the Natural Honey Livestock Group, Faculty of Biology at UGM, and CSR PLN. This project has resulted in infrastructure development and various training programs. These include the construction of a late afternoon market infrastructure, a training pavilion, a production house for bofertilizer and vermicompost, greenhouses for organic farming, video production and publication workshops, training for biofertilizer and vermicompost production, micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) training, community-based tourism (pokdarwis) training, procurement of honeybee hives, and the establishment of camping ground infrastructure in the community forest.
” We hope that the Mataraman Granary and the Eduwisata Kampung Madu will serve as pillars for the economy of Kedungpoh Village, discouraging further urbanization,” expressed the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The Governor’s hope is encapsulated in the slogan “Nandur apa sing di pangan, mangan apa sing di tandur,” which means planting what is eaten and consuming what is planted. The Dean of the Faculty of Biology at UGM responded to the Governor’s hope by stating, “The Faculty of Biology is not just an educational institution but an establishment that must benefit our nation, especially the surrounding communities.” Furthermore, the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration and Alumni Affairs expressed his hopes, “I expect the Community Service Team in Kedungpoh to continue this collaboration next year. The faculty will allocate funds for the partner village and the Community Service Learning Program that can be utilized as a stimulus for service programs here.”
The development of the Mataraman Granary, Eduwisata Kampung Madu, and the Community Service Program by the Faculty of Biology at UGM actualizes SDGs 1, 5, and 17: No Poverty in Villages, Involvement of Women in Villages, and Partnerships for Village Development. Congratulations to Kedungpoh Village.