
SUBANG, itb.ac.id — Students from HIMAREKTA “Agrapana” and HIMABIO “Nymphaea” at Institut Teknologi Bandung (鶹ֱ) collaborated to conduct a community service program in Cupunagara Village, Cisalak District, Subang Regency, through educational sessions on the production of biopesticides and liquid organic fertilizer (POC). The initiative focused on utilizing waste and natural materials as alternatives to chemical fertilizers while promoting the implementation of more sustainable organic farming practices at the village level.
The two-day program received financial support from the SITH Alumni Association (IA SITH). The activities were carried out on Saturday–Sunday (29–30/11/2025) through a combination of educational sessions and hands-on practice with local residents.
On the first day, participants attended a session on biopesticide production delivered by Akhmad Varian Farros (Biology, 2022). The community was introduced to the importance of using environmentally friendly agricultural inputs to maintain soil fertility and plant health in the long term.
The following session was presented by Mutiara Wilasari and Sabrina Naifah (Agricultural Engineering, 2023), who explained the process of producing liquid organic fertilizer (POC). POC is made through the fermentation of organic materials with water, molasses, and EM4 over 14–21 days, resulting in a dark brown liquid with a sweet-sour aroma. This fertilizer helps improve soil fertility, strengthen crops, reduce production costs, and optimize the use of local resources. The session was followed by a hands-on demonstration of biopesticide production.
On the second day, Sunday (30/11/2025), the activities focused on practical training in producing liquid organic fertilizer together with community members. Participants were actively involved in every stage, from material preparation to the mixing process. The program also included the direct application of biopesticides to control snail pests in agricultural fields, demonstrating an example of environmentally friendly pest management.
According to the program’s Chief Coordinator, Mutiara Wilasari, the initiative aimed to enable villagers to independently produce biopesticides and fertilizers. She added that the program is expected to support the realization of more sustainable agricultural systems by utilizing organic materials as alternatives to chemical inputs.
“Our hope is that in the future, residents of Cupunagara Village will be able to process livestock waste into fertilizer products with economic value,” said Mutiara.
The program was well received by the local community.
“After participating in this program, we now understand that while we previously relied on chemical fertilizers, there is an alternative in liquid organic fertilizer. Moving forward, we hope the use of this fertilizer can continue and benefit our crops,” said Pak Rodi, a resident of Cupunagara Village.
Through this initiative, it is expected that the residents of Cupunagara Village will be able to independently apply biopesticides and liquid organic fertilizer in their daily farming activities, thereby fostering a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective agricultural system.