The proud achievement of the students from the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology (TRKI) study program at Diponegoro University Vocational School, with their innovation, Digitalization of the Mina Padi System, adds to the list of awards deserving applause. The latest achievement was secured by the ICEDEEP Team, who won first place nationally in the Social and Technology Innovation Challenge (SoTech) competition on June 2, 2024. This prestigious event was organized by PT Pertamina Refinery Unit III Plaju Palembang, South Sumatra, in collaboration with the Antara Djaya Foundation.
The ICEDEEP (Smart Innovation for Agricultural Development) Team is a post-millennial innovator group from the TRKI study program at Diponegoro University Vocational School that has developed the digitalization of the Mina Padi system. The team is led by Syaikha Butsaina Dhiya’ulhaq (class of 2020), along with her teammates Malika Pintanada Kaladinanty (class of 2022) and Haliza Ramadiani (class of 2022), guided by their advisor, Mohamad Endy Yulianto.
Syaikha mentioned that the SoTech competition is essentially a case-based competition where participants are given five problem topics related to agriculture (farming, fishing, and livestock) experienced by practitioners in the Banyuasin area, South Sumatra. Participants must solve these problems through innovations in the application of science and technology (Technology category) and support measures (Social category) developed by each team.
“The SoTech competition series began in February, with 189 participants from 71 universities across Indonesia. In the top 12 elimination round, each team was asked to create an innovation prototype funded by SoTech amounting to IDR 2,000,000 per team (March-May). The grand final took place on June 2, 2024, at Palembang Indah Mall, where teams presented and simulated their developed prototypes before the judges and attendees of the SoTech Exhibition,” explained Syaikha.
Syaikha is an accomplished student with 5 intellectual property rights (IPR), 1 reputed international paper, and several mass media publications. She revealed that their innovation is named Many Paddy. “The innovation essentially involves developing the mina padi system with a new layout and integration of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, complete with the use of solar-powered sensor technology,” she explained.
Furthermore, Malika, who also holds 2 IPRs, stated that the prototype developed on a 1:500 scale successfully integrated the pH sensor of fish pond water with the level sensor of paddy field water. If the fish pond water pH drops below 5, water will be channeled from the pond to the paddy field.
“At pH below 5, decomposed fish feed combined with fish residues forms nitrates and nitrogen, which, when utilized as paddy field water, helps fulfill the nutrient needs of the paddy fields,” added Malika.
“Water will flow from the pond to the paddy field until the water level in the field reaches 1.5 cm. If the water level in the field is less than 1 cm, water will be supplied from the fish pond or external water source. If the water level in the field exceeds 1.5 cm, the sensor will detect and immediately release water from the field until the optimal level is achieved,” Haliza added.
The innovative prototype also includes a mini fermenter located near the duck coop to ferment duck and fish feces mixed with other ingredients like EM4, rice bran, water, and brown sugar solution for two weeks, which is then used as fish feed under the duck coop. “With the application of these two integrated sensors, it is hoped that water usage as a primary resource in agricultural activities becomes more efficient and optimal,” said Syaikha.
On the occasion, the Dean of Diponegoro University Vocational School, Prof. Dr. Ir. Budiyono, M.Si, expressed pride in the Vocational School. “Our students have shown the best achievements that impact the wider community,” he said.
Budiyono hopes this innovative idea will bring benefits and hope for sustainable and productive agriculture in the future. “This project is a tangible example of how technology and collaboration can produce solutions that have a positive impact on farmers, the environment, and society as a whole,” concluded Budiyono. (Endy-Vocational School & DHW-Public Relations)
