MAGETAN – Students of UGM Community Empowerment Field Practice (KKN PPM) Unit 153 in Mantren Kabupaten Village, Karangrejo Sub-District, Magetan Regency, held the Mantren Expo that raised the theme Sustainable Village for the Future. Officially, it was opened with the launching of a water rocket by Magetan Regent, Drs. Sumantri, MM, last Saturday (21/8) in the courtyard of Al-Kautsar Mosque in Mantren Village.
The Expo received positive response from Drs. Sumantri, MM. "Now, members of the public are no longer simply the object of development, but also the subject of development", Sumantri, who came with his entourage of officials of Magetan government, explained.
Optimally Performed
In the two days exhibition, nine booths were displayed. First, alternative food stand with its sabinang (abbreviation of Indonesian terms for Jackfruit Seed Extract) product, plants cultivation (plants and fungi polybag), alternative energy: biogas. Furthermore, there were booths of animal husbandry and feed management, waste separation and management, paper works, science and technology, bazaar and documentation of KKN UGM unit 153 and video playback. "We want to totally empower people in Mantren by utilizing natural resources and local wisdom, so that Mantren people can be more prosperous," said Dona Febrina Alfianty, Chairman of the Committee for Mantren Expo 2010.
One example of this empowerment is rice straw fermentation and utilization of livestock manure into biogas and organic fertilizer at Pak Samun’s house. "The alternative technology selected by the students is appropriate and very cheap", Samun explained, one cattle farmer who has started routine straw fermentation and cooking with biogas.
The second day of the expo was marked by the handover of trophy and prizes to the winners of the Pious Children Festival, Adventure Education, Water Rocket Workshop and Contest, Cooking Competition of Healthy Snacks and Banana Trash-based craft. The Adventure Education activity was aimed to introduce the concept of Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD), followed by 22 Elementary Schools in Karangrejo District. In this activity, students visited 10 posts that reflect the 10 programs of student’s field practice in the village. Their creativity as team was tested through their harmony in yelling their slogans and readiness in carrying out instructions given by one student who acted as a guard post.
In Mantren Expo, there were also food bazaar presented by the winners of the cooking contest and distribution of teak tree seedlings to each visitor. "This is not just a souvenir, but a form of caring and our love to the surrounding environment", Nasrul, unit coordinator, added.
Furthermore, Magetan Regent and the entire entourage traveled to several pilot homes of waste selection and utilization, the cultivation of polybags and school gardens, and fermentation of rice straw and biogas. He was accompanied by some Mantren residents, students and supervisor of student field practice, Rahman Sudiyo, Ph.D, and UGM representative, Dr Sarto.