UNAIR NEWS – Students participating in the 7th Belajar Bersama Komunitas (BBK) program at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) have introduced Black Soldier Fly (BSF) maggot farming as a practical approach to reducing environmental pollution. The outreach program was aimed at housewives and heads of households in Karangdoro Subdistrict, Tegalsari, Banyuwangi, and took place on Tuesday (January 13, 2026).
Muhammad Aqeel Ramadhan Nurcahyo, who led the initiative, said the program was driven by the growing volume of household organic waste that remains poorly managed. “We found that much of this waste is either dumped or burned, practices that frequently cause foul odors and environmental damage,” he explained.
Seeing this challenge, Nurcahyo and his team turned to BSF maggot farming as a waste-based management solution. “Our goal is to convert waste into something useful. BSF maggots provide an efficient and environmentally friendly way to break down organic waste,” he said.
Producing animal feed and organic fertilizer
Nurcahyo noted that the benefits of the cultivation extend beyond producing maggots for livestock or fish feed, as the residual material, known as kasgot, can be processed into high-quality organic fertilizer. The program began with an educational session introducing BSF maggots, their life cycle, and their household applications, followed by a hands-on demonstration using a simple cultivation prototype.
“The equipment we used was made from inexpensive, easy-to-find materials such as plastic water gallons, sink hoses, and thinwall containers,” Nurcahyo said.
He explained that the plastic gallon serves as the main medium for larval growth and organic waste decomposition, while the sink hose functions as a natural migration route for mature maggots toward a collection container. “At the pre-pupal stage, maggots instinctively move toward dry areas. This system allows them to be collected automatically before they transform into BSF flies,” he added.
According to Nurcahyo, BSF flies differ significantly from common houseflies or green flies because they do not spread disease and do not land on human food. “Their sole purpose is reproduction. Through BSF maggot farming, residents can obtain protein-rich animal feed and organic fertilizer (kasgot) from the remaining byproducts. We hope this will encourage creative entrepreneurship and strengthen collective responsibility for protecting the village environment,” he said.
Promoting community self-sufficiency
Through the initiative, Nurcahyo and his team aim to instill principles of self-reliance and sustainability within the community. “This program shows that maggot farming can be started without large capital or sophisticated tools and can easily be adopted at the household level,” he said.
In evaluating the program, Nurcahyo reported that the activities ran smoothly and were met with strong enthusiasm from residents. The initiative also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Our work supports SDG 12, particularly in improving household-level organic waste management. It also contributes to SDG 8 by creating new economic opportunities and supports SDG 13 by helping reduce methane emissions from waste,” Nurcahyo concluded.
Author: Nur Khovivatul Mukorrobah
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
