Empowering teenage groups to improve the local economy has become a focus for lecturers at the University of North Sumatra. Led by Dra. Lina Sudarwati, M.Si., a group of lecturers organized a catfish farming training session on unused land.
The participants, teenagers from mosques in Kisaran City, North Sumatra, were introduced to practical knowledge about pond preparation, catfish breeding, and the distribution of catfish seeds into the grow-out ponds. This initiative aims to utilize abandoned excavation ponds, previously used for brick-making but now neglected, for sustainable programs to enhance the local economy.
The program provided by Universitas Sumatera Utara specifically from the Faculty of Social and Political Science includes training in catfish farming and offers equipment and initial catfish seeds as the starting capital for participants. Around 8000 catfish seeds were distributed, spread across four designated ponds. Additionally, alongside the catfish farming program, the mosque teenagers were introduced to marketplace applications for marketing their agricultural products online.
The implementation of the catfish farming empowerment activity has been warmly welcomed by residents in the area. Paidi, a community figure, expressed his support, stating, “This program is very beneficial for our mosque teenagers. So far, they have often struggled to find jobs or business opportunities. With this catfish farming, we hope they can have their source of income and contribute more to the community”.
Dra. Lina Sudarwati, M.Si., emphasized that implementing catfish farming empowerment will benefit the local community and raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in catfish farming to support environmental conservation efforts. This initiative not only provides economic opportunities for teenagers but also contributes to the overall well-being and environmental consciousness of the region.
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