Klungkung, baliwakenews.com. Healthy and environmentally friendly agriculture has recently become a trend as an effort to overcome the various negative effects of the use of hazardous chemicals in the cultivation of various plants, especially in controlling pests and diseases. To overcome this, the Community Service Team (PKM) from the Faculty of Agriculture, Warmadewa University offers the use of Biological Agents to control plant pests and diseases. PKM Coordinator from the Faculty of Agriculture, Warmadewa University, Dr. Ir. Ida Bagus Komang Mahardika, M.Sc., revealed biological agents as one of the alternative solutions that can reduce environmental damage so as to obtain healthy and environmentally friendly agricultural products. Biological Agents or Biological Control Agents are any organisms or living creatures, especially insects, fungi, worms, bacteria, viruses and other animals that can be used to control Plant Pest Organisms (OPT). "The real solution is the natural heritage of this ecosystem that needs to be reactivated and socialized massively in order to achieve the goal of healthy and environmentally friendly agriculture," said IB Mahardika accompanied by team members Ir. Anak Agung Mayun Wirajaya, MM and Ir. AA Made Semariyani, M.Sc., while providing counseling in Semarapura Kelod Village, Klungkung to PKM partners, namely the M3lah Lestari farmer group who coincidentally really want sustainable agriculture that is safe from the negative effects of using various toxic chemical pesticides. Through this PKM, it is hoped that this group of farmers will be able to understand and be able to produce various biological agents, as well as fertilizer and pesticide products made from natural ingredients. Even in producing this biological agent material, it is expected to be able to increase income economically, if the products produced are of good quality according to standards and labeled. "Incidentally, the head of the PPAH M3lah Lestari group, Mr. Wayan Sulendra, SP, is a former agricultural extension worker in the field of plant protection, so he quickly understood the process of making this biological agent product. He is able to continue the production of biological agents with his group members, and socialize it to farmers in the surrounding area and even to agricultural areas in other districts," continued IB Mahardika.
author : Dr. Ir. Ida Bagus Komang Mahardika, M.Si
