WONOSOBO – A total of 700 new students from the Faculty of Agriculture, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta took part in the 2025 Introduction to Agriculture Practicum (PP) in Blederan Village, Mojotengah District, Wonosobo Regency, for three days from October 16–18, 2025. This activity served as an initial opportunity for first-semester students to understand agriculture not only as a field of science but also as a way of life for rural communities. Through the live-in method, students stayed in local residents’ homes, directly interacted with farming families, and participated in various agricultural activities — from land preparation, planting, and crop maintenance to post-harvest processing.

“Agriculture is not only about planting and harvesting, but about understanding the balance between humans, nature, and culture,” said Mukti Ahmad Nurcahya, S.P., M.Sc., one of the field supervisors.

Blederan Village, located on the slopes of Mount Sindoro at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, has diverse agricultural potential: rice, vegetables, and tobacco, as well as emerging organic vegetable gardens in residents’ yards. The cool climate and predominantly dry land use make Blederan ideal as an educational agro-tourism village.

Students also learned about intercropping patterns, a system of planting two or more types of crops on the same land, which has been proven to increase productivity and maintain soil fertility. In addition, they were introduced to post-harvest management, including sorting, grading, and packaging of agricultural products to enhance their economic value.

The activity coordinator, Sri Anom Amongjati, M.Si., explained that the 2025 PP was designed not only to increase knowledge but also to instill the fundamental values of agriculture: patience, perseverance, and hope. “Farmers are life’s teachers. They work with their hands, hearts, and wisdom born from long experience,” she said.