Unsri Directs Student Community Service Program to Support Stunting Eradication

The thematic Community Service Program (KKN) on “Sustainable Food Gardens (P2L)” for the prevention of stunting was carried out by 400 students from various faculties and study programs in 32 villages spread across four regencies: Ogan Ilir, Ogan Komering Ilir, Muara Enim, and Pali Regency, said Unsri KKN Field Supervisor Fitra Gustiar in Palembang on Saturday.

She explained that the activities carried out by the students at the KKN sites from May 30 to June 30, 2022, were tailored to their respective faculties and study programs.

Specifically in the three villages under his supervision—Danau Baru Village, Kasai Village, and Sungai Rotan Village in Muara Enim Regency—35 students from the Faculty of Agriculture and several other faculties and programs conducted outreach on healthy and nutritious food, distributed plant seedlings, and outreach on the development of sustainable food gardens (P2L).

Meanwhile, students from the Faculty of Medicine conducted health education sessions at elementary schools and provided maternal and child health checkups at the village health posts (posyandu).

“Through these activities, we hope to motivate the village community to utilize their home gardens to produce healthy and nutritious food, as well as to increase awareness of family health and child growth and development—especially for toddlers who need healthy and nutritious food,” he said.

According to him, one of the national strategies for accelerating the reduction of stunting is to improve food security and nutrition at the individual, family, and community levels.

To that end, Unsri is striving to support the accelerated reduction of stunting through sustainable food garden (P2L) activities as part of its Community Service Program (KKN) and community outreach efforts, said the field supervisor.

Meanwhile, Sungai Rotan Village Head Ahmad Zazili expressed his gratitude to the leadership and faculty members of Unsri who carried out P2L activities in his village to improve the availability of and access to nutritious food.

These community service and KKN activities by Unsri students have been of great assistance to the village administration in guiding and supporting the village community in stunting prevention.

“We hope that Unsri will always consider Sungai Rotan Village as a partner in community service activities, KKN, and other faculty and student initiatives,” said the village head.

Previously, South Sumatra Deputy Governor Mawardi Yahya stated that his administration is working to optimize the Family Support Workers (TPK) task force to reduce the incidence of stunting—a growth and development disorder in children caused by chronic malnutrition.

"By optimizing the TPK task force—supported by midwives, PKK cadres, and family planning cadres—we hope to reduce the stunting rate, currently at 24.8 percent, to 14 percent within the next one or two years, in line with the national target,"