Adopting a Planting System in the 5th Cycle of Mansur Heritage Rice
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One of the educational visions at the Begawan Learning Centre is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset in students. The foundation has initiated an entrepreneur program that gives students the opportunity to learn and directly practice their business awareness. This program implements the same pedagogical principles at the Learning Centre: student-centred, conservation-based, and Learning by Doing.
Research on Cricket Farming
On 1 April 2022, six students who are interested in cricket farming formed a small group. The decision to raise crickets was based on the students’ sensitivity to the surrounding environment and the demand for protein-rich crickets to feed the Bali Starlings bred by Begawan Breeding and Release Centre. The students concluded that there is an opportunity to sell crickets and turn it into a small business.
Using the computer and tablet facilities provided by Begawan, the cricket raising team researched the life of crickets, how to raise crickets, the nutritional content of crickets, and cricket products sold in the market. This team also enriched their knowledge by learning directly from a cricket farmer, an expert in raising crickets.
On 29 March, the members of the cricket raising team visited a cricket farm in Belega Village, Gianyar. During the visit, they interviewed the cricket farmer, and asked how to raise crickets, an appropriate place to raise them, and how to sell them. Students also passed a challenge to actually hold adult crickets and move them into a breeding box. This breeding box was then brought to Begawan’s Learning Centre to continue the breeding process.
Raising Cricket with Entrepreneurial Mindset
After going through the egg incubation phase for approximately two weeks, the baby crickets began to hatch. The cricket raising team carefully moved the new-borns to a rearing container and was amazed by how tiny baby crickets are. The team monitors the baby crickets every day, provides food and liquids, arranges egg cartons for the crickets to hide under, protects the baby crickets from predators, and observes their growth.
Currently, the baby crickets at the Learning Centre are 21 days old on average and are about 7-10mm in size. The cricket raising team will continue to care for them until they grow into adult crickets, then they will be sold or processed into nutritious food. (Ketut Desy)
