Evaluation of the Young Agricultural Entrepreneurs Development Program for 2020-2023
Nowadays, millennial farmers are becoming a trend to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Agency for Extension and Development of Agricultural Human Resources (BPPSDMP), has a program to create young agricultural entrepreneurs. This program, owned by the Ministry of Agriculture, is known as the Growth of Young Agricultural Entrepreneurs or PWMP. The program is intended for alums of the Faculty of Agriculture. “In 2023, alumni of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bengkulu, received three PWMP titles, Agromesia (Agro Muda Rafflesia), Toboponik: Ikona Melon, and Orchid Cultivation Bengkulu,” said Dr. Hesti Pujiwati, S.P., M.Si. On May 13-15, 2024, Dr. Hesti Pujiwati, S.P., M.Si, as the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, and Helfi Eka Saputra, S.P., M.Si, as one of the PWMP 2023 Supervisors, attended the invitation of the PWMP regional coordinator, in this case, Polbantan Medan, to attend the PWMP 2023 evaluation meeting in Medan. “This meeting was attended by 23 PWMP implementers of state universities and agricultural vocational schools in the Polbangtan Medan coordination area. The PWMP 2023 evaluation meeting is part of the program so that the obstacles faced can be resolved and solutions can be provided based on discussions with fellow PWMP recipients. In addition, this meeting is also a forum for networking cooperation partners and collaborations from each business engaged in the same field and mutually supportive,” said Helfi Eka Saputra, S.P., M.Si.
Agronesia is a business that utilizes coffee fruit peel waste as compost. The products produced by Agromesia are intended to support environmentally friendly crop cultivation. Agromesia’s products have penetrated outside Bengkulu province. One of the regular distributors of Agromesia products is the HMS Faperta UNIB Sharia Cooperative,” said Prof. Agustin Zarkani, S.P., M.Si. Ph.D., as the PWMP Agromesia Supervisor, accompanied by Fahrul Rozi Maulana, S.P., as the head of Agronesia.
Toboponik, with the Ikona Melon brand, produces premium melon products for the community to consume fresh. The premium quality Toboponik offers a sweet and fresh taste from fruit that has just been harvested from the plant. The Toboponik group is chaired by Yusuf Kurniawan, S.Pt., M.Si. The uniqueness of this product is in the form of Rafflesia carvings on the melon skin and packaged in a parcel box, making it very suitable for souvenirs. With PWMP 2023, the Toboponik business can increase the number of harvested fruits from 100 fruits/harvest period to 270 fruits/harvest period. This increase in harvests is supported by the addition of supporting facilities and infrastructure,’ said Helfi Eka Saputra, S.P., M.Si as the PWMP Toboponik Supervisor.
