SmartAgri UGM Team Surveys KWT Teratai Mekar, Initiates Implementation of "AURORA" Automatic Drip Fertigation Technology

SLEMAN — Researchers from the Smart Agriculture Research Center (SmartAgri) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) conducted an initial field survey at the Women Farmers Group (KWT) Teratai Mekar on Friday, May 29, 2026. This activity marks the opening step in a series of research activities under the Bank Indonesia Research Grant (RGBI) 2026, which will implement automatic irrigation technology based on drip fertigation entitled AURORA (Automated Urban-Community Regulated Irrigation & Fertigation Architecture).

The survey took place at the KWT Teratai Mekar site located at Jl. Selokan Mataram, Dabag, Condongcatur, Depok District, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. The activity was carried out by three SmartAgri UGM researchers: Muhammad Athala Fawwaz Dzaky, S.T.P., Samuel Gatot Marseno, S.T.P., and Fathuzaky Setyawan, S.T.P. The team's arrival was welcomed directly by Ibu Ida Halimah as Chairwoman of KWT Teratai Mekar, along with four other group members.

This initial survey focused on three main agendas. The team conducted preliminary data collection regarding the profile and dynamics of KWT Teratai Mekar, including group structure, cultivation activities, as well as the needs and challenges faced by members in the field. Subsequently, the team conducted land measurements to obtain an overview of the area and conditions of the cultivation site, followed by commodity mapping to identify the types of plants developed by the group.

"This initial survey is very important for us to understand the real conditions in the field. Data on land area, types of commodities, and cultivation patterns implemented by the KWT become the basis so that the AURORA technology that will later be applied truly suits the group's needs," said Muhammad Athala Fawwaz Dzaky, S.T.P., one of the SmartAgri UGM research team members.

The AURORA technology is specially designed for community-based urban agriculture contexts, with automatic irrigation and fertilization systems through drip fertigation. Through this system, water and nutrients can be delivered precisely and in a controlled manner directly to the plant root zone, thus expected to increase the efficiency of water and fertilizer use while maintaining cultivation productivity in limited land typical of urban areas.

The Chairwoman of KWT Teratai Mekar, Ibu Ida Halimah, welcomed the planned cooperation. "We are very pleased and open to the arrival of the SmartAgri UGM team. Until now we have been conducting irrigation manually, which takes considerable time and effort. Our hope is that this technology can ease the work of our members while increasing harvest yields," she said.

The data collected from this initial survey will form the basis for designing a technology implementation plan that aligns with the characteristics of the land and the real needs of the KWT. The approach based on data collection and mapping at the initial stage is expected to ensure that the technology applied is well-targeted and truly beneficial for improving the welfare of group members.

The survey activity proceeded in a collaborative and participatory atmosphere. The direct involvement of the management and members of KWT Teratai Mekar demonstrated the group's enthusiasm in supporting the research, while also opening opportunities for broader synergy between higher education institutions and farmer groups at the community level.

This initial survey marks the beginning of cooperation between SmartAgri UGM and KWT Teratai Mekar within the framework of the RGBI 2026 research. Going forward, the research team will follow up on the survey results with phases of planning and implementation of AURORA technology as the core of this research program.