Brebes, 14 September 2023. PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) encourages the implementation of IoT (Internet of Things) solutions among Islamic boarding schools (ponpes). One of them is KH Mas Mansur Madrasah Boarding School (MBS) located in Brebes, Central Java. In this Islamic boarding school, XL Axiata teaches students to utilise IoT solutions for Maggot cultivation. In this educational project, XL Axiata also collaborates with PT Xekar, Benihbaik.com, Majelis Taklim XL Axiata (MTXL), and Bloggercrony community. The inauguration of Maggot cultivation facility took place on Tuesday (12/9).
Chief Corporate Affairs of XL Axiata, Marwan O Baasir, said, "Through the Digital Islamic Boarding School program, XL Axiata also provides a number of digital solutions that can be utilised by boarding school managements throughout Indonesia. Utilising IoT solutions is one of the implementations, considering that IoT solutions can be flexibly used to improve the performance of various purposes in Islamic boarding schools, including in economic and entrepreneurial activities. Therefore, we facilitate the implementation of IoT solutions for maggot cultivation, according to the needs of this KH Mas Mansur MBS Islamic Boarding School."
Marwan added that the IoT solution for maggot cultivation has also been implemented at Hidayatulloh Islamic Boarding School, Depok, West Java. This solution was born from the results of IoT incubation at XL Axiata XCamp Laboratory. In this place, a number of IoT solutions were selected that are suitable and can be applied in Islamic boarding school environment, especially those that can support economic empowerment efforts. This maggot farming also indirectly supports the organic and non-organic waste processing and empowerment program at the Islamic boarding school.
Technically, the solution itself features environmental monitoring and temperature or humidity control at Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farm sites. BSF is a type of fly whose eggs become maggot larvae. To be able to produce maggots that can become high-quality animal feed, an optimal temperature and humidity range of 20-25 degrees centigrade is required. In addition, the ideal humidity for maggot farming is 50-70%. The use of IoT solutions will help make it easier for maggot farmers to, among other things, measure the best temperature and humidity in real time.
The economic value that can be generated from maggot cultivation is quite high. The market share of maggot is recognised by the global animal feed industry, where there is a great opportunity to target poultry farmers, catfish, and so on. Maggot lives as a high-quality pellet substitute feed and can accelerate the growth of livestock. With a market share that is still open, this cultivation is expected to encourage community empowerment.
Cultivating maggot is fairly easy because the feed comes from household waste or organic waste that is easily available. Therefore, maggot farming also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In addition to increasing productivity, the benefits of utilising IoT solutions are mainly to reduce operational costs, as a source of data for Big Data and Artificial Intelligent purposes. In addition, this technology can also facilitate planning, projection and maintenance.
Digital Islamic Boarding School Program
Meanwhile, through the Digital Islamic Boarding School program, XL Axiata conducts various digital trainings to improve the skills of santris in the field of social entrepreneurship. In addition, XL Axiata also provides a number of trainings on the use of technology and digital facilities such as creating digital content, website design, IoT utilisation and cybersecurity, as well as the use of 5G.
For KH Mas Mansur MBS Islamic Boarding School, XL Axiata also provided router devices and free internet access through the Quota Donation Movement program to support teaching and learning activities. Not only that, XL Axiata employees through MTXL are also very enthusiastic in providing support for this Digital Islamic Boarding School program. Support is in the form of employee alms distribution to support the operational costs of education for santris in need.
In East Java, XL Axiata has just closed the Digital Islamic Boarding School Program that has been running since December 2022 in three batches. A total of more than 300 students have participated in this training. They come from more than 120 Islamic boarding schools spread across East Java. This program provides students with digital training, especially content creation and website design. The training materials include YouTube Principal, Content Planning, Content Execution, Content Editing, Content Review, Optimising YouTube Channel and YouTube on Air, Website Introduction and Website Building. This training program is in collaboration with benihbaik.com, ngalup.co and also TV9.
In his speech to close the program in East Java, Regional Group Head of XL Axiata East Region, Dodik Ariyanto said, "The Digital Islamic Boarding School Program is a form of XL Axiata's commitment to participate in the success of the government's program in equalising and increasing the digital literacy of santris towards the era of Society 5.0. We hope that this program will provide the widest possible opportunity for santris to be able to contribute to the process of increasing people's digital literacy, through creating useful digital content both related to the world of Islamic boarding school and general themes that the public needs to know."
According to Dodik, the Digital Islamic Boarding School program is a continuation of Laptop Donation program that XL Axiata has implemented over the previous two years. East Java became the pioneer province for the implementation of this program, which is then gradually expected to be implemented nationally.
Previously, XL Axiata has also implemented a laptop donation program to Islamic boarding schools in various parts of Indonesia. A total of dozens of laptops have been distributed to 39 Islamic boarding schools, along with 4G fast internet connection facilities, including data quota packages. The aim of this program is that the Islamic boarding schools that receive the donations are expected to become the driving force of digitisation, while improving the quality of human resources in the Islamic boarding schools.