UNAND Student Innovation Supports SDG 2 and SDG 9 through Automatic Rice Pest Repellent Technology

Padang, February 2, 2022 — Universitas Andalas (UNAND) students have introduced an agricultural innovation called Agraris, an automatic rice pest repellent device designed to help farmers protect paddy fields from pest attacks.

The innovation was tested in the rice fields of the Cinta Damai Farmer Group in Pisang, Pauh District, Padang City. Agraris, which stands for Alat Pengusir Hama Padi Otomatis, was developed in response to a pest outbreak reported at the end of 2020, when 70 hectares of rice fields in Padang were attacked by brown planthoppers, with Pisang identified as the most affected area. According to Agraris Team Leader Arif Rahman, pest attacks in Pisang affected around 80 to 90 percent of the local rice field area, becoming the main reason the team created the device.

Agraris was developed by students participating in the Independent Project Class, one of the implementations of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program. The team was led by Arif Rahman from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, with members Yolanda Farmayeni from Electrical Engineering, Wahyu Pradana from Electrical Engineering, Adif Bayu Tirta from Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, and Ahmad Abel Alfando from Mechanical Engineering. The team was supervised by Dr. Eng. Muhammad Ilhamdi Rusydi.

The student innovation received funding through the 2021 Student Creativity Program, a national program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology that supports student creativity across Indonesia. Through this program, the UNAND team developed Agraris as a practical technology to help farmers manage several types of pests at once, including birds, brown planthoppers, and rats.

Adif Bayu Tirta explained that Agraris works by using ultrasonic sound frequencies to repel pests. The device is also equipped with a lamp and a flock reflector. The lamp is used to help control brown planthoppers, while the flock reflector repels birds by using glare from reflected sunlight.

One of the advantages of Agraris is its semi-portable main frame, making it easier for farmers to move the device from one location to another. The ultrasonic frequency can cover up to one hectare of agricultural land. The lamp used to trap brown planthoppers is also supported by an automatic controller, allowing it to turn on at 6.00 p.m. and turn off at 6.00 a.m.

The Agraris team has also introduced and demonstrated the use of the device to farmers from the Cinta Damai Farmer Group, which serves as the partner for this innovation activity. According to Adif, the team plans to evaluate and improve the performance of Agraris based on the needs of the partner farmers. They will also conduct a survey among members of the farmer group to assess the benefits of the device.

In addition to field testing and community implementation, the team is also pursuing intellectual property protection for the innovation. Adif stated that Agraris is being submitted for patent registration to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in West Sumatra.

This innovation supports SDG 2 Zero Hunger by helping farmers protect rice fields from pest attacks that can threaten agricultural productivity. By providing a practical tool to manage pests such as birds, brown planthoppers, and rats, Agraris contributes to stronger food production and more resilient farming practices.

The initiative also aligns with SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure because it demonstrates how student-led technological innovation can respond directly to community needs. Through the development of an automatic, semi-portable agricultural device, UNAND students show how campus-based innovation can be applied to strengthen local farming systems.

Through Agraris, UNAND continues to encourage students to transform ideas into applicable technologies that provide benefits beyond the classroom. The innovation reflects the university’s commitment to supporting farmers, advancing agricultural technology, and contributing to sustainable development through the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka and Student Creativity Program platforms.