The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit Indonesia since the first quarter of 2020 has impacted the economic sector. Many companies have to increase efficiency due to the decline in economic activity. One of the ways companies reduce these losses is by reducing employees. The Ministry of Manpower noted that 17.8% of companies made layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, 25.6% of companies laid off their workers, and 10% of companies did both. This condition is not only detrimental to the company but also to the workforce. They lost their jobs, which affected the family economy.

In fluctuating economic conditions, entrepreneurship is an attractive alternative. The practice of entrepreneurship not only provides the potential to improve the economy but also absorbs labor and helps the community. One interesting entrepreneurial practice is to cultivate catfish using an aquaponic system. This cultivation does not require a large space for implementation. In addition, the aquaponic system offers additional synergy between catfish farming and aquatic plants, such as water spinach. Farmers can earn additional income by selling catfish or aquatic vegetables such as water spinach.

Aquaponics is a system of farming fish (aquaculture) and plants (hydroponics) together in a recirculating/ mutually beneficial ecosystem, using natural bacteria to convert waste and fish feed into plant nutrients that allow fish and plants to grow together. The benefits of aquaponics are water saving as it uses 90 percent less water than soil-based crop cultivation and can produce vegetables, fruits, and fish at the same time to meet household needs as well as profit-making commercial purposes. The vegetables and fish produced are better quality and free from chemicals or residues of inorganic fertilizers or chemical pesticides.

Aquaponics can also save land efficiently because it does not require a lot of space, so vegetables and fish can be cultivated together in one place or location. Aquaponics can also be placed indoors; using indoor lighting, plants can grow throughout the year.
The Faculty of Economics and Business of Universitas Sumatera Utara (FEB USU), in collaboration with PT Pelabuhan Indonesia Regional Head 1, carried out community service activities in Medan Belawan District as a manifestation and form of corporate social responsibility. Village development activities through socialization and assistance for aquaponic system catfish cultivation in the sub-district are managed directly by the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Sumatera Utara.

Paidi Hidayat, S.E., M.Si., the Head of the Implementation Team and Vice Dean III of FEB USU, said that the community service program was implemented by the FEB USU Deanate Team together with students and alumni of FEB USU, with the theme “Catfish Cultivation with an Aquaponic System to Support Community Income.”

Paidi said that community service aims to increase the active participation of the community in building the economy, both individually and regionally, and increase the local community’s income through the catfish farming system and make it an alternative to community income. In addition, it is directed to build independent and economically competitive community groups. Catfish farming is a business that does not require much space for its implementation with a reasonably stable market demand. The target of the corporate social responsibility fund distribution program in the form of aquaponic catfish farming is economically unproductive community groups, such as mothers’ associations in the Belawan District, so that these groups can become economically productive groups.

The service activity began with a socialization and assistance session for aquaponic catfish breeding systems at the Medan Belawan Sub-District Office Hall. Several local community groups participated in the activity.

“Belawan has a lot of marine potential. But this time, the community’s livelihood options will be further improved through catfish farming and aquaponic plants,” said Medan Belawan Sub-District Head Subhan Fajri Harahap.

On that occasion, Adi Purba, an alumnus of USU, also conducted a socialization of catfish farming techniques. The socialization was attended by the Head of Division and General Services of PT Pelindo Regional Head 1 Medan, Kasih Dwi Yanti, who gave a speech and opened the series of community service activities. The implementation team handed equipment to start aquaponic catfish farming along with catfish seeds to each community group representative.

“We really hope that the activity does not end here. We will come back to continue to help the community if there are obstacles in cultivating to achieve sustainable development,” said Paidi Hidayat.

He mentioned that the development of the Medan Belawan Subdistrict is one of the service priorities of FEB USU, which plans to continue to develop cooperation with the local government to build a sustainable Desa Binaan FEB USU.

In this activity, the residents’ enthusiasm for the aquaponic system was very high, and it was easy to cultivate. Various questions from the training participants were asked one by one to the presenters regarding the management system of catfish farming, the preparations that must be made, and how to harvest both aquaponic plants and the main menu, namely catfish.

The provision of assistance was handed over to representatives of community groups. Because the number was quite large, only samples of the products given to the community were brought, and the rest were directly distributed to each community group during the event. In total, 275 aquaponic catfish farming units were distributed and symbolically handed over by Kasih Dwi Yanti as a representative of PT Pelindo. In addition to a set of aquaponic catfish farming systems, catfish seeds, kale seeds, and other assistance, such as vitamins for catfish, were also handed over. (RJ/Paidi)