Aquatic Research Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) remains to expand Wader Pari cultivation. One effort to expand it is by building collaboration with various partners.
Dr. Bambang Retnoaji M.S., as Aquatic Research Group initiator, said that he is currently examining cooperation in advancing the Internet of Things / IoT-based Wader Pari cultivation with ITTelkom Surabaya. In its cooperation process, the Chancellor of the Telkom Institute of Technology (ITTelkom) Surabaya, Dr. Tri Arief Sardjono S.T, M.T., held a direct visit to the location of the Wader Pari cultivation produced by the UGM Faculty of Biology with the DIY DKP at BPTP Cangkringan, Sleman last November.
Besides, the UGM Faculty of Biology also reviewed a semi-mass cultivation facility. In their visit, a team from ITTelkom Surabaya also observed the portable Wader Pari spawning equipment facility designed by the collaboration between UGM and the Mina Lestari Coconut Milk Farmers Group, which was assisted by PLN CSR Care.
During the meeting, there was also information about semi-mass cultivation systems, which are more appropriate for urban environments. Besides, there was also some information about their development potential on an I.T. basis, such as microcontrollers and sensors for automation of feeding, water flow regulation, temperature regulation, and tracking of water parameter data using IoT.
“Regarding yesterday’s visit, ITTelkom Surabaya plans to build an IoT-based Vertical Farming using wader fish as a test animal object,” he said.
Bambang revealed that the potential for cooperation with ITTelkom Surabaya offered a great hope that Wader Pari cultivation can be developed in a modern IT-based manner in the future.
Wader Cultivation Education
As efforts to continue developing the cultivation of Wader Pari, Aquatic Research Group provided education related to how to cultivate fish with high potential economic value.
Bambang explained that there was only a semi-mass scale at the beginning of the Wader Pari cultivation program. However, at present, it has turned into mass-scale production by collaborating with farmer group partners, Gapoktan Santan Mina Lestari.
“There has been a development from post-harvest processing products of Wader Pari farming in order to increase the selling value of cultivated Wader Pari. But, it seems that the public still has a lack of public awareness regarding this fish farming,” he explained.
Hence, it is necessary to organize education and counseling related to Wader Pari intended for community groups interested in cultivating wader stingrays. Accordingly, the Aquatic Research Group, UGM Faculty of Biology, and Gapoktan Santan Mina Lestari collaborate with PT PLN Persero for the Central Java Main Transmission Unit to improve education and cultivation.
One of the sequences of community outreach activities regarding local fish cultivation was a collaboration with the DIY DKP. Besides, there was also a socialization event for local fish restoration in DIY, which is also part of the DIY Provincial DPRD work program that has been conducted in November 2020 in several places in Sleman and Bantul, including in Potorono, Temuwuh, Sumbersari, and Wonokerto.
“Hopefully, this educational will increase knowledge of DIY Community about the cultivation of Wader Pari so that it will stimulate them to get involved in the cultivation of Wader Pari,” he said.
Author: Ika
Translator: Natasa A