Blora Regent Pursues Organic Pilot Project and Scholarship Quota at Brawijaya University
Blora Regent Arief Rohman has opened opportunities for collaboration with Universitas Brawijaya (UB) to develop organic farming and forestry in Blora Regency. The cooperation is also directed at establishing research locations, community service programmes (KKN), and a special scholarship quota for Blora’s young people.
He conveyed this commitment while speaking at the New Student Orientation for the Postgraduate Programme of the Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Bioindustry at UB on Thursday (27/8). The event was attended by 171 new master’s and doctoral students.
In his presentation, Arief encouraged Blora to become a pilot project for organic farming development whose results could be replicated in other regions. According to him, this potential is supported by the cattle farming sector, which can provide organic material in the form of manure.
“Blora has enormous potential for organic farming development. We have many cattle farmers, so organic material to support agriculture is also available,” he said in a written statement on Thursday (27/8).
He added that the large cattle farmer population in Blora provides the main supply of raw material for manure.
In addition to strengthening the organic farming sector, the Blora Regency Government is opening opportunities for research collaboration with Universitas Brawijaya. Arief noted that around 60 percent of Blora Regency’s area is forest, which is considered potential for scientific study.
“With Blora’s condition where around 60 percent of its territory is forest, there is certainly much that can be studied and developed, whether in the agriculture, forestry, or community empowerment sectors,” he explained.
The Blora Regency Government is also offering community service programme (KKN) locations for Universitas Brawijaya students in villages assisted under the organic farming programme. The KKN scheme is expected to produce new model villages that can be applied throughout Blora.
Responding to the presentation, the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Bioindustry at Universitas Brawijaya, Prof. M. Purnomo, appreciated the commodity advantages offered by Blora. He assessed that Blora Regency is beginning to focus on developing niche products with higher added value compared to general agricultural products.
“Going forward, we hope that the production of maize seeds and other high-value products can be developed, including through the greenhouse concept,” he said.
The development of high-value commodities is considered strategic in maintaining food supply availability in Central Java and East Java. In addition, the management of these leading commodities has the potential to reduce inflation and stabilise market prices in the region.
Purnomo added that Universitas Brawijaya is opening opportunities for talented young people from Blora to take part in selection and obtain scholarships at the Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Bioindustry, from undergraduate to doctoral level. A special slot will be prepared for Blora’s young people who meet the requirements and pass the selection.
Closing his presentation, Arief expressed gratitude to Universitas Brawijaya for entrusting Blora Regency as a speaker in the campus introduction activity for new master’s and doctoral students. He hopes this activity will be the beginning of closer cooperation between the university and the Blora Regency Government.
“We are very open; deans and lecturers from Universitas Brawijaya can visit and collaborate with us in Blora,” Arief concluded.
For information, the activity was also attended by the Head of the Blora Regency Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Service and related officials.