Unsri’s Faculty of Agriculture is cultivating floating vegetables in Ogan Ilir

"The PKM activity focuses on the theme of Developing Floating Vegetable Cultivation to meet the vegetable needs of Burai Village, Tanjung Batu Subdistrict," said Dr. Fitra Gustiar, Chair of the PKM Implementation Team at the Unsri Faculty of Agriculture, in Ogan Ilir on Friday.

He explained that Burai Village is the largest village in Tanjung Batu Subdistrict, covering an area of approximately 39.52 square kilometers with a population of 2,103 people spread across six hamlets.

Geographically, Burai Village is surrounded by rivers and swamps; currently, the use of these water areas is limited, serving only as a water tourism destination combined with the concept of a colorful village.

Furthermore, Burai Village still relies on other villages to supply its agricultural needs, particularly vegetables.

The limited availability of land is the reason why the community in Burai Village is unable to produce its own vegetable crops.

The existing waterways have not yet been utilized by the Burai Village community for agricultural cultivation.

In light of these conditions, in November 2025, a team of faculty members and students from the Unsri Faculty of Agriculture launched a Community Service Program (PKM) to introduce floating rafts as an innovative method for growing vegetables—such as water spinach, mustard greens, and lettuce—that thrive on the water’s surface.

This PKM activity focused not only on the application of cultivation technology but also on enhancing the community’s capacity to manage local resources.

“As one of the villages closest to the Unsri Indralaya Campus in Ogan Ilir, we hope that this community service initiative by the faculty and students of the Faculty of Agriculture will have a positive impact on the development of Burai Village,” said Team Leader Fitra Gustiar.

Meanwhile, community service team member Lya Naiatul Fadilah added that the floating cultivation system can serve as an adaptive solution to the land conditions in Burai Village, where most of the area is water.

In Burai Village, where most of the area consists of water, the community can still obtain a supply of fresh vegetables through floating vegetable cultivation using simple floating raft technology.

“This initiative serves as tangible proof of Unsri’s commitment to supporting food security and community empowerment through agricultural innovations rooted in local wisdom. With this floating vegetable cultivation technology, it is hoped that Burai Village can serve as a model for other villages in the Ogan Ilir waterways region in achieving sustainable agriculture," said Lya Naiatul.

Meanwhile, Arianto, the Village Secretary of Burai, Ogan Ilir, took the opportunity to express his gratitude and appreciation to the team from Unsri’s Faculty of Agriculture for conducting the Community Service Program (PKM) by educating the community on floating vegetable cultivation.

Community enthusiasm was high throughout the program, with residents actively participating in training sessions on building floating rafts, planting, and plant care.

“The community is interested in floating-plant technology, which can be used to cultivate various types of vegetables, because the floating rafts can be made from bamboo or other environmentally friendly materials that are easily obtained around Burai Village,” said the Burai Village Secretary.