Agroedutourism-Based Community Empowerment Strategy as the Implementation of a Sustainable Agriculture Program in Batulaya Village, West Sulawesi

Abstract

Empowerment of communities as a concept of economic development encapsulates social values. Agroedutourism is one of the creative economic potentials in the agricultural sector that can have a positive impact on improving the welfare of the community. The development of agriculture-based sustainable agroedutourism integrates the excellent potential of Batulaya Village by conducting a mapping of internal and external factors analyzed using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). The number of respondents and community empowerment partners are 30 individuals, consisting of Batulaya Village government officials, youth groups, farmer groups, and the PKK groups (Family Welfare Movement). The strengths include infrastructure, transportation access, natural resources, human resources, and land. Opportunities include educational activities and cultural tourism often carried out in Batulaya Village. The appropriate development strategy for Batulaya Village's agroedutourism is leveraging the natural resources and tourism potential to attract community members or tourists to visit. Socialization, mentoring, and training have been conducted for hydroponic and aquaponic cultivation of plants, as well as the management of organic household waste in Batulaya Village using the Black Soldier Fly (BSF). BSF infrastructure has been established to produce maggots that can be used as fish feed in the aquaponic system and generate organic fertilizer for hydroponics. Therefore, these three systems mutually support each other and are sustainable for sustainable agricultural agroedutourism in Batulaya Village. The village government focuses on developing appropriate and sustainable agricultural products, thus providing clearer direction for land management and investment allocation. Feasibility of investment and future agroedutourism development can be maximized and more focused.