Polman Negeri Babel Strengthens Tefa Kompos Partnership Through FGD on Vocational College Revitalization
Participants consisting of lecturers, education staff, and representatives of industrial partners took a group photo after the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Strengthening the Management of Tefa Compost Partnerships held by the Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic within the framework of the State Vocational College Revitalization Program (PRPTNV) at the Novila Hotel.
The Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic (Polman Babel) held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Strengthening the Management of the Teaching Factory (Tefa) Compost Partnership as part of the State Vocational College Revitalization Program (PRPTNV). The event took place at the Hotel Novila meeting hall on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
The event was attended by representatives of Polman Babel's lecturers and educational staff and featured two speakers from the industrial world: Deasy Dwi Saputra (Dede) from PT GML and H. Anwar, an organic compost fertilizer entrepreneur from Kimak Village.
In his remarks, Deputy Director III of Polman Babel, Eko Sulistyo, M.T., stated that Bangka Belitung needs to prepare for the decline of the mining sector as a major pillar of the regional economy. "The mining sector will eventually become depleted, therefore, Polman Babel, as a vocational college, must provide solutions that support the regional economy, one of which is through agriculture," he explained.
Eko added that developing compost fertilizer is a strategic step in promoting sustainable agriculture in Babel.
"Through the Tefa Kompos program, we want to provide a learning platform and a business unit that benefits the community," he explained.
Meanwhile, a resource person from PT GML, Deasy Dwi Saputra (Dede), explained the use of agricultural waste, particularly from palm oil, as a raw material for making compost.
He explained that liquid waste is managed through long ditches on 258 hectares of land to prevent river pollution.
"With proper analysis and processing, waste can become a new economic opportunity. Polman Babel can play a role in managing this waste and turning it into a marketable product like compost," he said.
Meanwhile, H. Anwar, an organic compost fertilizer entrepreneur from Kimak Village, shared his long experience in developing a fertilizer business since 2010. He pioneered the idea in 2006, starting from personal needs and then evolving into a commercial venture.
"Initially, I only experimented with making fertilizer for my own use. Over time, because the results were good, I ended up producing more to sell," he said.
Furthermore, Anwar mentioned that the basic ingredients for the compost fertilizer used come from palm oil mill waste, such as fiber, solids, mill ash, goat or cow manure, fermented fish water, and dolomite," he concluded.
The FGD was interactive, with numerous question-and-answer sessions covering the compost production process, uses, and business opportunities. Participants actively engaged in discussions with the two speakers.
As a follow-up, Polman Babel signed a cooperation agreement (PKS) with PT GML and a compost entrepreneur from Kimak Village as partners in the future development of Tefa Kompos.
The event concluded with the presentation of souvenirs as a token of appreciation to the speakers and partners who have supported the implementation of the Vocational State University Revitalization Program in Polman Babel.
