International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS) Local Committee (LC) Universitas Padjadjaran wins 1st place at Women in Agriculture Competition organized by IAAS World. This competition invites every LC in various member countries under IAAS World and has been held on March 15th-April 18th, 2024.
Through the Women in Agriculture Competition that collaborates with the Village Concept Project, IAAS World wants people to acknowledge and celebrate the significant contributions of women in the field of agriculture. The presence of women in agriculture is an advantage and has the potential to be powerful agents of change in shaping the future of the global food system. So, this competition aims to find ideas and projects that can improve the position and standard of living of women in agriculture around the world for sustainable change. This competition invites every Local Committee in various member countries under IAAS World.
The Women in Agriculture award was won by the Village Concept Project Team of IAAS LC Unpad, namely Muhammad Al Fatih Mufiid (Agrotechnology 2021), Partika Arum (Agrotechnology 2021), Talitha Zahira (Agribusiness 2021), Sekar Nalika Ligar (Agrotechnology 2022), Adilah Muthmainnah (Agrotechnology 2022), Meysa Nazila Maratul Qamilah (Agribusiness 2022), Mantika M Warahmah (Agribusiness 2022), Filzah Rania Az Zahra (Social Welfare 2023), Destia TriDamayanti (Agrotechnopreneur 2023), Rahma Putri Berliani (Agrotechnology 2023), Sabela Safa Bagraf (Food Technology 2023), Aiska Firanaya Ramadhani (Social Welfare 2023), Mazetto Faiq Aqillah (Agrotechnology 2023).
In the Women in Agriculture x Village Concept Project competition, the VCP IAAS LC Unpad team introduced an innovative solution, namely the ‘permaculture system’ to the problem of land difficulties that experienced by the Harum Manis Women Farmer Group in Kutamandiri Village. Through this permaculture system, they introduced raised-bed or a form of elevated soil planting by covering a material on the sides for planting beans. In addition, they introduced the cultivation of azolla, a plant rich in nutrients and suitable for difficult land. The planting of beans and azolla not only helps planting on unproductive land, but also opens up new business opportunities for the farming women’s group there. This innovation in peanut and azolla cultivation is called Mamazolla: Azolla Chips And Fried Crispy Peanut.
The VCP IAAS LC Unpad team not only wants to help meet the needs of families and improve their welfare, but also wants to make this Women Farmer Group an inspiration for other families about the importance of women’s economic independence and skills in agriculture and business.