Innovation in application of renewable energy utilisation by UGM students to protect paddy fields against rats has earned a silver medal in the World Invention Technology Expo (Wintex) 2019. The competition was held in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta from 9-12 October 2019.
The team consisting of Physics Engineering students, Afif Fachrudin, Agiel Hadid Ridhlo, Muhammad Rifqi Amrullah, and Rania Putri Chaela as well as Electrical Engineering student Salman Rahwidean Janotama have developed the innovation, titled No-Hama Solar Powered Rat Pest Exterminator as a Solution for Crop Failure in Indonesia.
“No Hama is a rat exterminator that is based on solar power. The team developed the renewable energy application utilisation to protect paddy fields from rat infestation,” said Ahmad Agus Setiawan, S.T, M.Sc, Ph.D, supervising lecturer, on Monday (14/10).
The Head of the Renewable Energy Lab encouraged the students to make an innovation and application of renewable energy technology for society and humanity. The No-Hama device, he said, started from farming problems, particularly in Lamongan regency, East Java, when rat infestation had destroyed as vast as 608.95 hectares of paddy fields in 19 districts.
“The local farmers were forced to use electricity from a generator to protect the paddy fields. But this was actually very dangerous in addition to the high costs,” he said.
Ahmad said the use of renewable energy application for agriculture was to support a mission in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), namely hunger alleviation. He hoped the achievement would be the start to the development of other innovations to give solutions to problems emerging in the country.
“We’re proud to have earned the medal and it made us more driven to develop more innovation in the future that can be applied and solve crop failures in Indonesia,” said Ahmad.
As previously reported, five more teams from UGM have earned medals in the event. Four teams earned gold medals, which were IoTanam (Smart Urban Farming), Meet Pharmy (Pharmacy Games), Utilization of Waste of Sugar Palm as Acoustic Panel to Prevent Environmental Damage, and Plastcom-Crete (solution to transform plastic waste into composite concrete). The other silver medal went to ArgoAgro (application for chain supply media in agriculture).