UGM students won a silver medal in the use of renewable energy applications to protect rice fields from rat pests at the World Invention Technology Expo (Wintex). The competition was held in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta from 9-12 October 2019.
The team consisting of Physics Engineering students, Afif Fachrudin, Agiel Hadid Ridhlo, Muhammad Rifqi Amrullah, and Rania Putri Chaela as well as Electrical Engineering student Salman Rahwidean Janotama. They have developed the innovation, entitled “’No-Hama’ Solar Powered Rat Pest Exterminator as a Solution for Crop Failure in Indonesia”.
“No Hama is a rat exterminator that is based on solar power. The team developed the renewable energy application utilization to protect rice fields from rats,” said Ahmad Agus Setiawan, S.T, M.Sc, Ph.D, supervising lecturer, on Monday (14/10).
The Head of the Renewable Energy Lab encouraged the students to innovate and apply a renewable energy technology for the society and humanity. The development of No-Hama, he said, started with the problems facing farmers, particularly in Lamongan regency, East Java, when rat infestation had destroyed 608.95 hectares of rice fields in 19 districts.
“The local farmers were forced to use electricity from a generator to protect the rice fields. But this was actually very dangerous in addition to the high costs,” he said.
Ahmad said the use of renewable energy application for agriculture was to support a mission in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), namely hunger eradication. He hoped that this achievement will be the start of the development of further innovations that can provide solutions to various problems in Indonesia.
“We’re proud to have earned the medal. It drives us to develop the innovation further in the future that can be applied and solve crop failures in Indonesia,” said Ahmad.
As previously reported, five other teams from UGM have earned medals in the event. Four teams won gold medals with the works of “IoTanam” (Smart Urban Farming), “Meet Pharmy” (pharmacy game), “Utilization of Waste of Sugar Palm as Acoustic Panel to Prevent Environmental Damage”, and “Plastcom-Crete” (a solution to transform plastic waste into composite concrete). Another team won a silver medal with their project “ArgoAgro” (an application for chain supply media in agriculture).
Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/18578-no-hama-raih-medali-di-world-invention-technology-expo
