Pemberdayaan Petani melalui Pelatihan Pembuatan Trichoderma sp. sebagai Solusi Pengendalian Penyakit Tanaman di Kecamatan Astambul - Aidawati, Noor; Liestiany, Elly; Aphrodyanti, Lyswiana; Sepe, Muslimin; Abbas, Saipul; Tuti, Harlina Kusuma; Safitri, Gizza Anellia; Thahir, Nurhikmah Khairiyah (Lumbung Inovasi: Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat, 2025)
Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk memberdayakan petani di Kecamatan Astambul, Kabupaten Banjar, melalui pelatihan pembuatan Trichoderma sp. sebagai agen hayati pengendali penyakit tanaman. Ketergantungan petani terhadap pestisida kimia masih tinggi akibat terbatasnya pemahaman tentang alternatif pengendalian hayati. Pelatihan yang dilaksanakan pada 9 Oktober 2025 di Balai Penyuluhan Pertanian Kecamatan Astambul melibatkan 20 petani padi dengan pendekatan partisipatif dan metode praktik langsung. Kegiatan mencakup penyuluhan tentang hama dan penyakit tanaman padi serta demonstrasi pembuatan inokulum Trichoderma sp. menggunakan bahan lokal yang mudah diperoleh.Pelatihan ini berhasil meningkatkan pemahaman petani mengenai mekanisme kerja Trichoderma sp. dan keterampilan teknis dalam memproduksi inokulum secara mandiri. Meskipun penerapan langsung di lahan belum dilakukan, hasil diskusi menunjukkan bahwa petani mulai memahami potensi penggunaan Trichoderma sp. untuk mengurangi frekuensi penyemprotan pestisida kimia sebanyak 1–2 kali per musim tanam. Selain itu, berdasarkan referensi ilmiah, penggunaan Trichoderma sp. secara konsisten berpeluang meningkatkan kesehatan perakaran dan produktivitas tanaman padi hingga 10–20%. Program ini juga memperkuat kolaborasi antara perguruan tinggi, Balai Penyuluhan Pertanian, dan kelompok tani sebagai langkah awal menuju penerapan biokontrol yang berkelanjutan. Untuk menjaga keberlanjutan program, diperlukan pendampingan teknis lanjutan, ketersediaan isolat berkualitas, serta pengembangan unit produksi inokulum di tingkat kelompok tani. Kegiatan ini menunjukkan potensi besar sebagai model pemberdayaan petani menuju pertanian yang lebih ramah lingkungan dan berkelanjutan. Empowering Farmers through Training on the Production of Trichoderma sp. as a Solution for Plant Disease Control in Astambul District Abstract This community service program aimed to empower farmers in Astambul District, Banjar Regency, through training on the production of Trichoderma sp. as a biological agent for plant disease control. Farmers in the region remain highly dependent on chemical pesticides due to limited knowledge of alternative biological control methods. The training, conducted on 9 October 2025 at the Agricultural Extension Center of Astambul District, involved 20 rice farmers using a participatory approach and hands-on learning methods. The activities included a lecture on major pests and diseases of rice plants and a demonstration of Trichoderma sp. inoculum production using easily accessible local materials.The program successfully improved farmers’ understanding of the mode of action of Trichoderma sp. and enhanced their technical skills in producing inoculum independently. Although field application has not yet been carried out, discussions with participants indicated that farmers now recognize the potential of Trichoderma sp. to reduce the frequency of chemical pesticide applications by 1–2 times per planting season. In addition, scientific references indicate that the consistent use of Trichoderma sp. may improve root health and increase rice crop productivity by 10–20%. The program also strengthened collaboration among universities, the Agricultural Extension Center, and farmer groups as an initial step toward sustainable biocontrol implementation. To ensure long-term sustainability, continued technical assistance, access to high-quality isolates, and the development of inoculum production units at the farmer-group level are required. Overall, this program demonstrates strong potential as a model for empowering farmers and promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture.