Univa Students Transform Flood-Affected Site into Microgreen Garden in Serdang Bedagai
The face of Sei Rampah village in Serdang Bedagai Regency, North Sumatra, is slowly changing. This area, which frequently suffers annual flooding due to river silting, no longer leaves behind only mud and sorrow. Through the efforts of 50 students from Universitas Al Washliyah (Univa) Medan, the remnants of the disaster are now transforming into a new centre for food resilience.
Under the Impactful Students Programme in Disaster Impacts in Sumatra 2026, students from various disciplines have introduced a concrete solution: microgreen cultivation. This small-scale farming technology was chosen for good reason.
In Hamlets I and III, where the soil is often damaged by waterlogging, microgreens offer hope for residents to regain economic empowerment without needing vast land.
“We want the presence of students not only to bring physical aid but also educational support so that the community can rise independently,” said Muhlizar, Head of the Field Lecturer Team, while inspecting the programme site that ran from late January to March 2026.
Over 160 hours of effective student work (JKEM), the programme participants, funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), fully integrated with the villagers. They not only taught planting methods but also implemented biochar technology to restore soil quality saturated by floods.
The effects were immediately felt by village officials. Johansyah Putra, Head of Hamlet III, admitted he was initially sceptical about the students’ presence amid Sumatra’s challenging situation.
“Honestly, at first, we thought they were just ‘window dressing’ in the field. I was greatly mistaken. They didn’t just bring theory but grounded solutions. They helped streamline the logistics system through simple products they made themselves,” said Johansyah.
Lecturer member Syarifa Mayly Boelian Dachban explained that the approach taken is Green Economy. In addition to microgreens, the students equipped residents with environmental and disaster law literacy.
The goal is clear: to build long-term independence.
Univa Medan itself is one of the few private universities (PTS) that passed the rigorous selection for this national programme.
This success proves that synergy between academics and village communities can create a new energy injection for residents struggling to recover from disaster impacts.
Now, the people of Sei Rampah village have a new way to combat flood trauma: by nurturing thriving green shoots on their own home terraces.