(FEB NEWS) Tuesday, 9 January 2024 - Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) held a community service activity with Lincoln University - New Zealand in order to introduce the potential of seaweed to foreign students. In the 2024 Student Inbound-Full Time program, nine Lincoln University students and the Dean of the Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce spent two weeks focusing on the topics of Food Security, Sustainability and Islamic Finance at Campus B, FEB UNAIR.
The purpose of this visit is not only to strengthen inter-campus relations, but also as part of efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Community Service (Pemmas) in Lobuk Village, Bluto District, Sumenep Regency, takes the title "International Community Development: Food Security and Sustainability of Seaweed Production." FEB UNAIR and Lincoln University collaborated in planting seaweed with local farmers, providing information about concrete steps to achieve sustainable food security by utilizing seaweed as a marine and ocean resource for sustainable development.
This community service activity is a concrete manifestation of FEB UNAIR and Lincoln University's commitment to achieving SDGs goals, especially SDGs 1 (Poverty Eradication), SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDGs 14 (Marine Ecosystems), and SDGs 17 (Partnerships for achieving goals).
Overcoming the Farmer Crisis Through Seaweed
Based on information gathered from local sources in East Java, this Community Service activity was carried out as a response to the crisis faced by seaweed farmers in Bluto District. One of the main problems is delays in payments when harvesting and selling seaweed. One farmer stated, "When crops fail, it is normal and can be overcome, but if farmers or collectors are not paid, the wheels of the community's economy will paralyze."
Even though the marine potential on the coast of Madura, especially in Sumenep, is very abundant with diverse marine resources, such as seaweed, farmers still face challenges in marketing and paying for their crops. Therefore, the presence of FEB UNAIR and Lincoln University in Bluto District is expected to make a positive contribution by sharing information regarding seaweed cultivation procedures, marketing and effective business strategies.
This international community service in Lobuk Village is a golden opportunity for foreign and local students to exchange knowledge about the use of quality seeds and efforts to deal with factors that can hinder success in seaweed cultivation. Through this initiative, it is hoped that coastal communities can gain real benefits in increasing seaweed production, supporting food security and realizing sustainable development.
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