Yogyakarta, September 30, 2023 – Students and researchers from the Smart Agriculture Research team at the Department of Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), namely Fathuzaky Setyawan, Malyasandi Firdaus, and Mario Felix Silalahi, have successfully clinched the first prize in the Business Plan Competition organized by the Student Executive Board (BEM) of UGM under the EKRAF International Essay Competition.
In this competition, which saw the participation of 36 teams, the team named “Smart Agriculture” presented a business idea about a revolutionary biofloc technology model in the modern fish farming industry. The innovative concept focuses on the use of microorganism colonies in water as a natural filter to maintain water quality and support fish growth. This concept was then implemented in a business model named “Tilapia Labs.”
One of the main advantages of the “Tilapia Labs” business idea lies in production efficiency and its positive impact on the sustainability of the surrounding aquatic ecosystem. The biofloc method advocated by this team can reduce water usage by minimizing periodic water replacement in the fish farming system. Additionally, the system can create optimal water conditions, contributing to accelerated fish growth, as well as reducing ammonia and organic waste content from cultivation effluents that can harm the aquatic ecosystem, such as water pollution, algae expansion, and fish disease spread.
In the market context, there is significant demand for tilapia in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, coming from restaurants, eateries, and traditional markets. Based on statistics and in-depth interviews with farmers, it can be concluded that tilapia consumption in this region is continuously increasing each year. This indicates a broad market potential that can be leveraged for tilapia products.
The advantages of biofloc-cultivated tilapia, such as denser meat, fresher aroma, and rich probiotic content, are additional values that can support the effective marketing of Tilapia Labs products in the local market. Dr. Andri Prima Nugroho, the advisor for Smart Agriculture Research, expressed that with innovative ideas like biofloc technology, there is hope for the development of environmentally friendly cultivation models that can provide sustainable economic benefits to the local community.
