Impactful Students Programme 2026: Andalas University Students Revive Padang's Economy After Floods
Amid the residual mud and destruction left by the flash floods that struck West Sumatra in November 2025, new hope is emerging for cattle and goat farmers in Lubuk Minturun Sungai Lareh subdistrict, Padang. That hope comes through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology’s (Kemendiktisaintek) Impactful Students Programme 2026, implemented by animal husbandry students from Andalas University.
Lubuk Minturun Sungai Lareh, in Koto Tangah district, Padang, was among the areas worst hit by the November 2025 flash floods. Hundreds of homes were damaged, farmland was buried under debris, irrigation channels were disrupted, and cattle and goat farming operations suffered declining productivity due to the destruction of forage sources.
The two principal partner groups in the programme are the Harapan Nan Duo Puluah Farmers’ Group and the Lubuk Ramang Women Farmers’ Group, each comprising around 20 members. Some members raise beef cattle, whilst others operate small-scale goat enterprises. In the aftermath of the disaster, they have faced a range of problems, from limited feed supplies and traditional management practices to suboptimal livestock waste management.
In response, the Impactful Students Programme adopted an empowerment approach based on an integrated farming system linking animal husbandry, crop agriculture and livestock waste management. The programme is chaired by Dr Fitrimawati, S.Pt., M.Si., with team members Dr Imana Martaguri, S.Pt., M.P. and Meisilva Erona S., S.P., M.Si. A total of 50 students from across departments in Andalas University’s Faculty of Animal Husbandry are actively involved as field implementers.
The participating students arrived not merely bearing programme banners but bringing labour, equipment and field-ready solutions under Kemendiktisaintek funding. Together with their lecturers, the students introduced an agrosilvopastoral system — the integration of food crops, forestry plants and livestock within a single land area.
Various forage species such as elephant grass, dwarf napier grass, leucaena and indigofera were planted alongside food crops including maize, yard-long beans and cassava. The system aims to guarantee year-round feed availability whilst restoring soil fertility after the floods. Fermented feed (silage) technology was also applied to address fluctuations in forage supply.
Recovery efforts extended beyond food, feed and land rehabilitation. The student team recognised that accumulated livestock waste, previously regarded as a problem, could become a new income source for the groups. Through the programme, students introduced a standardised organic fertiliser production system using an organic fertiliser grinding machine.
Students also helped design branding and packaging to enhance market appeal. The fertiliser products now carry a distinct identity and command higher prices than before. Social media is being used to promote the organic fertiliser and livestock products, with students creating content to extend market reach beyond the Lubuk Minturun area.
In less than a month, the Impactful Students Programme has delivered measurable results. The agrosilvopastoral demonstration plot is being utilised as a source of income for members and a supply of livestock forage. Fermented feed is produced on a regular fortnightly cycle. Packaged organic fertiliser is now being marketed to agricultural shops and ornamental plant businesses in the Lubuk Minturun area.
As a Kemendiktisaintek programme, the Impactful Students initiative is oriented not only towards short-term activities but also towards the sustainability of community enterprises. The Andalas University implementation team is committed to continued mentoring and evaluation so that this empowerment model can develop into an independent and competitive group enterprise.
Programme leader Fitrimawati said that post-disaster recovery must address the productive economic dimension of affected communities. “Collaboration between students, lecturers, government and the community is the key,” she said.
The programme demonstrates that students are not merely agents of change on paper — they are present, working, perspiring and building alongside the community, whilst the community directly benefits from the university’s presence.
The Impactful Students Programme is designed not only as a community empowerment effort but also as a real-world learning space for students through the application of Project-Based Learning (PjBL). Concluding at the end of February 2026, the programme serves as evidence that higher education institutions have a strategic role in disaster recovery and community development. Through the integration of knowledge, appropriate technology and a spirit of service, students are not only learning but also making a tangible impact on society.