ITB Agricultural Engineering Students’ Study on Agricultural IoT Systems at TTP Cikajang

By Adi Permana

Editor Adi Permana


BANDUNG, itb.ac.id– To broaden academic horizons, ITB often organizes field studies as a medium of exploration for students outside classes. On Saturday (6/5/2023), agricultural engineering students of the 2021 class visited TPP Cikajang as part of their field study for the Growth Media course.

TPP Cikajang is divided into four posts: the Women's Farmer Group (KWT), aeroponic systems, Smart Farming Systems, and IoT-based irrigation. In the first post, students interviewed Desti, a representative of KWT.

Desti explained that the processed potatoes made by KWT- from potato chips, onion chips, to potato brownies- undergo extensive marketing. "Self-sales through resellers can be done through cooperatives or contact via our Instagram.”

In the second post, students were introduced to an aeroponic system for potato cultivation. "Potato production here uses G0 potato seeds that are sterilized from viruses. Their cultivation must also undergo sterilization using bacteriocins before transplanting," one of TTP Cikajang’s tour guides described.

The next post allowed the students to observe firsthand the workings of the Smart Farming System at TTP Cikajang. The system has sensors that can adjust the temperature, humidity, light intensity, soil pH, nutrients, water, and paranets automatically. The system is quite easy to operate; just by pressing the features on the LCD screen provided or through the application, staff does not need to travel to the location.

TTP Cikajang also has agricultural lands with an IOT-based irrigation system. The system receives a signal that triggers the bucket valve (water storage) open. This results in the sprinklers being activated and irrigating the land. This system can also be operated through an application on mobile phones.

Nada, one of the agricultural engineering students who joined the study, was pleased to learn many things on the site. "This field is necessary and useful for us. Through this visit, we got an overview on the world of work in agriculture, as well as its opportunities and challenges in the future.”

Activities like this are essential in increasing students' insight and reducing boredom in continuous classroom-based learning.

Reporter: Nur Asyiah (Agricultural Engineering, 2021)
Translator: Ruth Nathania (Environmental Engineering, 2019)