Hydroponic farming provides students at SMKN 1 Batang Toru with an opportunity to develop agricultural skills while exploring business opportunities. Through hands-on practice, students studying Food Crop and Horticulture Agribusiness (ATPH) learn to cultivate plants, harvest their produce and market vegetables to the local community.
Agincourt Resources has been supporting SMKN 1 Batang Toru through a development programme since 2021, in collaboration with the Balai Besar Pengembangan Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan Vokasi (BBPPMPV) Pertanian Cianjur. One of the learning initiatives supported through this programme is the Teaching Factory (TEFA), which focuses on hydroponic farming. Agincourt Resources has also supported the provision of a greenhouse as a practical learning facility, enabling students to apply the agricultural knowledge they gain in the classroom.
The facility continues to be used regularly for students’ practical learning activities. On 13 October 2026, students harvested pak choi, water spinach and spinach grown using a hydroponic system. During the process, they learned the various stages of cultivation, from seed sowing and the use of growing media and nutrients to plant maintenance. This experience helps students understand agricultural production while recognising the importance of precision and proper plant care in achieving a good harvest.
Learning also extends to marketing the harvested produce. The vegetables are sold in several areas around Batang Toru, including Aek Ngadol, Batang Toru Market, Hutagodang Market, the school community and the Padangsidimpuan area. This process introduces students to agricultural business activities, including identifying markets, calculating production costs and understanding potential income.
Head of SMKN 1 Batang Toru Hamonangan Harahap expressed his appreciation for Agincourt Resources’ guidance and support in developing practical learning at the school. As a Vocational School Centre of Excellence, SMKN 1 Batang Toru continues to optimise its available facilities to ensure that learning remains relevant to the needs of the workplace and entrepreneurship.
Through the use of the greenhouse and the development of hydroponic farming, students have the opportunity to hone their technical skills while exploring how agricultural knowledge can be applied to productive activities. This support is expected to strengthen students’ readiness for the world of work, foster independence and broaden their understanding of business opportunities based on local agricultural potential.
