UNU Yogyakarta Agribusiness Students’ Deployment to Lumbung Mataraman Integrates Learning and Regenerative Agriculture Research

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - The Agribusiness Study Program at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Yogyakarta) deployed five students to participate in the Social Laboratory (Labsos) program at Lumbung Mataraman, Guwosari Village, Pajangan District, Bantul Regency on Saturday, September 26. The activity is part of field-based learning integrated with regenerative agriculture research supported by The AIR Fund–LPDP/MORA.

The five students involved were Dewana Harahap, M. Habibul Ikhwan, Wantoro, Farah Nurfadhilah, and M. Sibga Ali. They were accompanied by Nur Saudah Al Arifa D., S.T.P., M.Sc., a Field Supervisor (DPL) from the Agribusiness Study Program at UNU Yogyakarta.

The students’ deployment was more than an off-campus learning activity. Lumbung Mataraman Guwosari is one of the pilot project sites for research on regenerative agriculture development, which is also being conducted on the land of Al Imdad Islamic Boarding School. The two sites serve as spaces for implementing and learning about an agricultural system that integrates crops, livestock, and land resource management.

One of the focuses of the research is the development of Gama Umami grass as a component of an integrated agricultural system. Gama Umami is being studied for its potential as a source of biomass and livestock feed, as well as part of a land management system aimed at improving soil quality.

The research applies the 3F Farming approach, namely Farming, Feeding, and Fertilizing. The concept integrates crop cultivation, the use of biomass as animal feed, and the return of organic matter to the land as interconnected components of an agricultural system.

This approach is particularly relevant to regenerative agriculture, as productivity is assessed not only by crop yields but also by the system’s capacity to maintain and improve the quality of soil resources.

DPL Labsos Nur Saudah Al Arifa D. explained that students’ involvement in Labsos provides an opportunity to connect agribusiness theories with real-world challenges encountered in the field.

“Students need to understand that agriculture is a system. When we talk about food security, we are not only talking about production, but also soil conditions, feed availability, livestock, organic matter management, and the sustainability of the system,” she explained.

According to Nur Saudah, integrating Labsos with research also gives students experience in understanding the process of developing data-driven innovations based on local conditions. Students observe crops and land conditions while learning how agricultural innovations are implemented at sites with different characteristics.

Lumbung Mataraman Guwosari and the land of Al Imdad Islamic Boarding School provide different contexts for implementing the research. Differences in land conditions and management environments are important for observing plant responses while understanding the factors that influence the implementation of regenerative agriculture.

For Agribusiness students, this experience broadens their learning beyond production and economics to include an understanding of the relationship between ecology, technology, institutions, and agribusiness systems. Such an approach is essential for preparing graduates who can design more sustainable agribusiness development strategies.

The Labsos program also represents the integration of education, research, and community engagement. Students gain direct learning experience within the community, while the pilot project sites provide spaces for developing and observing the implementation of agricultural innovations.

The development of Gama Umami within a regenerative agricultural system is expected to support a more efficient production cycle. Plant biomass can be utilized as livestock feed, while organic matter generated from livestock activities can potentially be returned to the land to support soil fertility management.

In the long term, this approach is aimed at supporting food security by strengthening agricultural systems that make use of local resources. Food security is not viewed solely as the ability to produce food, but also as the ability to maintain the sustainability of the resource base that supports food production.

Through the deployment of these students, the Agribusiness Study Program at UNU Yogyakarta is promoting a learning model that is closely connected to real-world challenges while remaining linked to developments in agricultural research. Lumbung Mataraman Guwosari and Al Imdad Islamic Boarding School serve as learning spaces where students can directly observe how agribusiness knowledge can contribute to the development of regenerative agriculture and food security.

Correspondent: Nur Sauda Al Arifa
Editor: Latifah