Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - A team of lecturers of Lambung Mangkurat University who carrying out a serving obligation is creating vegetable village tour by involving residents in Landasan Ulin Utara Urban Village, Banjarbaru City.
“The team first conduct a research, so we find problems faced by the local residents,” said the presenter of the serving lecturers Sidderatul Akbar here on Sunday.
“Residents of the vegetable village have high motivation, but the need a companion who foster and educates technical implementation,” he said.
He expounded that even though the area has a great potential for a vegetable farming, the team found that farmers had not been able to design and determine a location point to make an icon of their plantation as a characteristic that is recognzabled by people outside.
According to him, the characteristic of the location need to be designed so that the vegetable village is easy to remember, thus it can increase the sales and income of local residents.
This is a marketing techniques so that outsiders have a high interest to visit the vegetable village.
About the management so it becomes a vegetable village, residents not yet proficient in determining the initial steps, such as what to do.
The serving lecturers then invited 15 people of the community and youth organization (Karang Taruna).
Lecturers service activities also aim to raise and preserve generation of farmers --namely children of vegetable village farmers-- especially in the technological era many chldren of farmers have left the profession.
“We have to explore the potential that exists for the benefit generation to come,” said Sidderatul.
Meanwhile, chairs of the local Karang Taruna Eko Winarto said that residents need guidance and education to develop the potential of the vegetabel village.
Eko acknowledged that farmers only rely on the nearest markets to sell vegetable, while the have the high potential to produce.
He also admitted that residents are still experiencing some problems, including the need for fertilizers.
Eko hopes that the trade of vegetable products from the village could be expanded to the outside of the island.
“We need technical assistance and more attention,” said Eko.
Read also: ULM, Philippines strengthen ASEAN cooperation through SEA Teacher
Read also: ULM-PT Adaro disburse scholarship worth IDR10 billion in 2023
