Village in Sidoarjo Launches Smart Farming Hydroponic Melon-Picking Eco-Tourism
- 10 Sep 2026 12:24 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
- BUMDes Gapura in Candi Negoro Village, Sidoarjo, is developing an educational hydroponic melon-picking tourism attraction based on smart farming.
- The initiative aims to strengthen food security and the village economy by utilizing local agricultural potential.
RRI.CO.ID, Sidoarjo - The Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes) Gapura in Candi Negoro Village, Wonoayu Subdistrict, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, is developing an educational hydroponic melon-picking tourism attraction based on smart farming. This initiative aims to strengthen food security while driving the village economy.
The attraction is developed inside a 400-square-meter greenhouse housing 1,030 melon plants of the Intanon and Sakata varieties, cultivated intensively by village youth.
Sidoarjo Regent, Subandi, appreciated the innovation, noting it could serve as a model for leveraging local potential through BUMDes.
“The Sidoarjo Regency Administration is committed to providing oversight and is ready to disburse assistance for BUMDes development, as each village in Sidoarjo has unique characteristics and economic potential,” said Subandi during the inauguration of the melon-picking tourism site in Candi Negoro Village on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
According to him, developing local potential, such as chili cultivation, vegetables, fisheries, and culinary products, must continue to be encouraged so villages can independently create economic sources. Subandi also toured the greenhouse area, picked, and tasted Intanon variety melons cultivated by the BUMDes.
“It tastes very sweet, different and more delicious than ordinary melons,” he said, as quoted by infopublik.id.
Subandi noted that greenhouse use helps farmers reduce risks from weather changes, as temperature, humidity, and plant conditions can be better controlled compared to open-field cultivation.
“In rice fields, rain often causes crop failure. Here, it’s safer. One planting cycle takes 70 days to harvest. The income is also good, one harvest can reach more than IDR 35 million (USD 2,187). Other villages with idle land should emulate this innovative BUMDes step,” he said.
Chairperson of Gapura Candi Negoro BUMDes, Ahmad Wildani Arifana, said melons were chosen because they are among the most popular fruits with high economic value.
In its management, the BUMDes applies smart farming methods integrated with hydroponic systems. This technology is used to monitor several plant parameters, ranging from root conditions, stem growth, fruit formation, temperature, water acidity or pH levels, to nutrient sufficiency.
“Through this system, managers no longer need to manually check plant physical conditions every morning and evening. Monitoring of crucial parameters such as temperature, water pH, and nutrient sufficiency can be efficiently tracked via monitor screens,” explained Ahmad.
According to him, the system helps managers supervise plants more efficiently while maintaining harvest quality.
Hydroponic melons produced by the BUMDes are marketed through an educational direct-picking tourism concept at IDR 30,000 (USD 1.88) per kilogram. Harvest yields are estimated at around 1.5 tons, with each fruit weighing between 1.2 and 2.6 kg.
Beyond serving as an agricultural marketing outlet, the melon-picking tourism site is designed as an educational facility for visitors to learn about modern agriculture and hydroponics.
The Sidoarjo Regency Administration hopes the Gapura BUMDes innovation will encourage other villages to develop local potential according to their respective regional characteristics. This step is expected to strengthen food security and community economies. ***
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