BTP Study Program Mentors Community in Verticulture Vegetable Cultivation

The Plantation Crop Cultivation Study Program of Politeknik Negeri Ketapang (Ketapang State Polytechnic) held a Community Service activity on Sunday, 12 July 2020. This program imparted science and technology through Mentoring on Verticulture Vegetable Cultivation on Type III Yard Land.

The Community Service (PKM) was carried out by the Plantation Crop Cultivation (BTP) team of Politeknik Negeri Ketapang together with assisted partners and the Permata Dalong Satu Family group, RT 040/ RW 004, Sukaharja Urban Village, Ketapang. Residents were highly enthusiastic about participating in this PKM activity, which was held for the second time. The objective of the activity was to provide a solution for growing vegetables in narrow yards that are prone to waterlogging, given that the partner area features narrow, flat land that is periodically flooded, or Type III land. The PKM activity served as community outreach through the application of appropriate technology in the form of verticulture techniques.

Verticulture is a farming technique for narrow spaces that utilizes vertical surfaces. According to the RT head and partner member, Syf. Nur Huyuni, this PKM activity was very helpful to residents while offering a solution for growing vegetables in narrow and flood-prone yards. Previously, vegetables planted directly in yard soil suffered crop failures due to floods, causing residents' interest in vegetable gardening to decline. “The information, knowledge, and skills provided by Politeknik Negeri Ketapang regarding verticulture vegetable cultivation can revive residents' enthusiasm for vegetable gardening, even in home yards, while also helping improve household food self-reliance,” she expressed.