Education and Training on Making Organic Fertilizers and Biopesticides for Cocoa Farmers in Pulukan Village, Jembrana, as an effort to increase organic cocoa production

Abstract

Pulukan Village, Jembrana Regency, Bali, is one of the village center of organic cocoa production. The high demand for organic cocoa beans cannot be met because the production per hectare is still low. One of the reasons is that cocoa farmers in the village have difficulty obtaining organic fertilizers and biopesticides in sufficient quantities as recommended. This community service was carried out to improve the knowledge and skills of farmers in making organic fertilizers and biopesticides using local materials as an effort to increase the productivity of organically cultivated cocoa. The method of implementing the activities was through counseling and training on the manufacture of organic fertilizers and biopesticides, then followed by mentoring in the application of organic fertilizers and biopesticides resulting from training in Demonstration Plots. In training and mentoring participants were invited to work together and learning by doing. The implementation of counseling on the manufacture of organic fertilizers and biopesticides was very successful, indicated by 93.33% of participants stating that they understood very well the material being taught and 100% stating that the material presented was very interesting and very useful for them. Training activities for making organic fertilizers and biopesticides through hands-on practice resulted in participants being able to make organic fertilizers and biopesticides very well. The application of organic fertilizers and biopesticides as a result of training in demonstration plots can improve farmers' skills in direct application of fertilization methods and pest and disease control in organic cocoa cultivation. The results of the application of organic fertilizers and biopesticides in the demonstration plot showed that cocoa trees given organic fertilizers and sprayed with biopesticides had better growth and lower pest and disease attacks than controls. This encourages the participants to apply the best practices from the demonstration plots to be applied in their respective organic cocoa gardens.