The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) of the University of Indonesia (UI) has once again innovated by creating a technology called Mikoponics. This is a sustainable mushroom cultivation technology that focuses on utilizing agricultural waste as a growing medium for one type of mushroom, the white oyster mushroomPleurotus ostreatus).
This innovation is the result of the idea of the UI FMIPA Biology community service team consisting of Dr. Retno Lestari as the chief executive, Dr. Abinawanto, Putra Mahanaim Tampubolon, Rabbil Pratama Aji, Aliff Muhammad Orlando, and Sulthan Rafii Ardiansyah.
"Microponics is a term coined to refer to the mushroom cultivation system we are developing," said Retno at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, Depok Campus.
Carrying the theme "Utilization of Mushroom Cultivation Technology, Supporting Healthy Food", the FMIPA UI community service team in collaboration with the Pandu Cendekia Foundation and the Directorate of Research and Community Service (DRPM UI) through funding from the Superior Community Empowerment Grant for Higher Education (PPMUPT), Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, held a community service activity on Saturday (3/8) in Bojong Koneng Village, Sentul, Bogor.
Retno explained that Bojong Koneng Village is a suitable area for mushroom cultivation. In addition to its high humidity and low temperatures, the village has a large amount of vacant land that has not been optimally utilized by the local community to help increase income.
"White oyster mushrooms have high economic value because they are often sold for consumption as a healthy food ingredient and an alternative to meat," he added.
Bojong Koneng Village, Retno continued, also has agricultural waste. This waste is generated by the activities of its residents, most of whom are farmers. It is then processed into fertilizer or burned by villagers if it accumulates excessively.
In fact, if integrated with mushroom cultivation, agricultural waste has the potential to have a selling value because it can be converted into mushroom growth media (baglog) which will produce edible mushrooms with superior quality.
The microponics program began with outreach and training on sustainable oyster mushroom cultivation for villagers, including an initial introduction to the benefits and cultivation of white oyster mushrooms, from baglog preparation, incubation, and harvesting. The activity was met with enthusiasm from the community.
Through this microponics program, the team hopes that the independence of the Bojong Koneng Village community will increase in managing natural resources in the surrounding environment that have not been utilized properly, such as utilizing agricultural waste as a growing medium for edible mushroom products.
Furthermore, through this program, it is hoped that the potential of Bojong Koneng Village can be built as one of the villages that is a center for mushroom production in the city of Bogor.
