Boosting Organic Rice Farmer Competency Through Organic Pesticide Production Training

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted by Universitas Jenderal Soedirman in collaboration with the Gatos Farmers Group in Sumpiuh Village, Banyumas District, has shown promising results in enhancing farmers' knowledge and technical skills in producing organic pesticides using natural materials. The community service program aimed to equip farmers with the necessary skills to adopt organic pesticide production and apply it to their rice farming. The initiative was driven by the awareness of the negative impacts of conventional rice farming on both the environment and human health.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Gatos Farmers Group in Sumpiuh Village, Banyumas District, has consistently cultivated organic rice over the past two years, driven by awareness of the negative impacts of conventional rice farming.
  • The community service program provided organic pesticide production training and practice to enhance farmers' knowledge and technical skills.
  • The training involved participatory planning, lectures, and hands-on practice in making organic pesticides using natural materials available in the surroundings.
  • The post-training monitoring indicates that members of the Gatos Farmers Group have adopted organic pesticide production and applied it to their rice farming.
  • The increase in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores further validated through statistical testing using a paired sample t-test, showing an improvement in farmers' knowledge of organic pesticides.
  • The study concluded that the initiative has successfully improved farmers' knowledge and competency in producing organic pesticides.

Statistics:

  • The post-test scores showed a significant increase compared to pre-test scores, indicating an improvement in farmers' knowledge of organic pesticides.
  • The paired sample t-test validated the increase in post-test scores, showing a significant improvement in farmers' competency in producing organic pesticides.
  • The study reported that the members of the Gatos Farmers Group have adopted organic pesticide production and applied it to their rice farming.
  • The study found that the initiative has positively impacted the environment and human health by decreasing the use of chemical inputs in rice farming.

Sources:

  • Boosting Organic Rice Farmer Competency Through Organic Pesticide Production Training in Sumpiuh Village Banyumas District. Jurnal Layanan Masyarakat (Journal of Public Services), 2025,9(3):383-394.
  • Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
  • Lutfi Zulkifli, Program Studi Agribisnis, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
  • Loekas Soesanto, Malinda Aptika Rachmah, Ajeng Faizah Nijma Ilma, Budiyoko Budiyoko