The Problem

The presence of water hyacinths in Lake Toba has been a major issue that pollutes the surrounding environment with socio-environmental consequences such as:

  • It prohibits sunlight into the lake which limits the plant’s ability to photosynthesise
  • It decreases oxygen level for living organisms
  • It creates a less appealing scenery which attracts less tourists

The Solution

My hypothesis:

Water hyacinths plants, just like any other aquatic plant, can be precursors to biofertilizers with the correct micro-organism used for the fermentation process. Thus, I kickstart this project intending to clean Lake Toba and provide necessary fertilizers for the community. My hypothesis was proven correct and as of today, 41 tons of water hyacinth plants have been converted to biofertilizers.

The Process

Step 1: Collection

Boats with large nets collect water hyacinth plants from the lake.

Step 2: Grinding

Water hyacinth plants are ground to crushed pieces through a bench grinder.

Step 3: Fermentation

Crushed water hyacinth plants are spread equally in the ground and fermented with bacteria micro-organism compound. The fermentation process breaks down the plant into substance rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Step 4: Pelleting

Pellet mill is used to compress dry-milled fertilizers into pellet form before packaging.

Step 5: Packaging

Pelleted fertilizers are packaged into 2kg plastic bags.