The Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences (FPP) Diponegoro University, has initiated a collaboration with Sukorejo Village, Sambirejo District, Sragen Regency. The Dean of FPP and the team carried out a Focus Group Discussion with the community at the Village Hall, Wednesday (25/1). This FGD activity was a follow-up to a visit from the Head of Sukorejo Village to Diponegoro University. “As the Head of Sukorejo Village, I really need the assistance of experts from FPP Undip to immediately improve community welfare,” said Sukrisno, S.Pd.SD, S.H. It was explained further that there had been many assistance programs that had entered the Sukorejo area, but most had not achieved satisfactory results due to the absence of assistance activities. The Head of Sukorejo Village also explained the availability of Sukorejo’s abundant natural resources. Livestock and agriculture are the main sectors occupied by most of the people of Sukorejo, including the catfish breeding business. Durian and avocado plants are also superior products that can support tourism development.
Dean of FPP Undip, Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Waluyo HEP, M.Agr.IPU conveyed that FPP is ready to provide assistance with the latest applied technology in supporting the community development program of Sukorejo Village through the integration of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and tourism. “FPP Undip will send a Lecturer Team according to the needs of the community, solve existing problems and encourage community-based business activities that will improve the family economy,” said Bambang in the FGD.
Dr. Ir. Cahya Setya Utama, S.Pt., M.Si. IPM, a lecturer at the Department of Animal Science FPP Undip, who is part of the assistance team, stated that FPP Undip would not only share knowledge and technology, but would also share equipment needed by the community to increase livestock and agriculture productivity. “The important thing is that the people want to move forward not only managing their livestock business, but also processing livestock waste to turn it into something worth of money,” explained Cahya, who was greeted enthusiastically by the FGD participants.
Dr. Ir. Bambang Sulistiyanto, M.Agr.Sc. as the team member also explained the importance of increasing awareness and ability of human resources in Sukorejo Village. “Don’t let this happen, the village head already has a lot of ‘dreams’, but the people don’t know anything yet, maybe they haven’t even ‘slept’ yet. So the community needs to improve their scientific and technological abilities first so that they can immediately realize the dream of the village head, namely shared prosperity,” explained Bambang Sulis.
Meanwhile Dr. Heni Rizqiati, S.Pt., M.Si as Chair of the Department of Agriculture FPP Undip also said that a team from the Department of Agriculture in the near future will assist Sukorejo Village in preparing the development of Petik Durian agrotourism sourced from Corporate Social Responsibility funds from various parties. “We have experts in the fields of agriculture, agribusiness and food technology who will synergize with the Sukorejo village work program, so that the community will soon enjoy the results of the businesses that have been initiated so far,” said Heni.
At the end of the FGD, the Head of Sukorejo Village expressed his deepest gratitude for the presence of FPP Undip in Sukorejo village. “We should have asked for assistance from FPP Undip a long time ago. If this had been done a long time ago, the people of Sukorejo would have prospered,” said Sukrisno in the closing statement of FGD.
This collaboration program between FPP Undip and Sukorejo Village will be carried out for several years according to the needs of the community. Hopefully the aspirations and goals of community development will soon be realized in Sukorejo Village, Sambirejo District, Sragen Regency.
