Melta Rini Fahmi, ‘Magot’ Overcomes Organic Waste

KOMPAS/ESTER LINCE NAPITUPULU

Melta Rini Fahmi

In 2009, Melta Rini Fahmi, 42, and French researcher Saurin Hem, received an international patent for their research on fish feed in Indonesia. Rini was known as a researcher in molecular genetics. Now, she is more commonly referred to as a “maggot” researcher.

Magot is not yet widely known. In fact, magot is better understood by ordinary people as belatung, which is disgusting and a source of disease. In fact, magot has many benefits, one of which is to overcome waste and make it have added economic value.

Strictly speaking, Rini said, magot is different from belatung (maggots). Magot is the larva Hermetia illucens or better known as Black Soldier Fly (BSF). While what is commonly known as belatung is the larva of Diptera.

Belatung or the larva of housefly or house flies act as disease vectors. Conversely, magot acts as a decomposition agent or compost of organic material, which in a short time can improve soil fertility.

Rini popularized the name magot to distinguish the BSF larvae from maggots. “In order to avoid mistakes, I finally called BSF larvae ‘magot’ [with only one ‘g’] so that people understand the difference with maggots,” Rini said.

Even though in Indonesia it has not been optimized on an industrial scale or for waste management, Rini has not given up. “My conscience cannot be silent when I find that industrial actors dealing with ‘magot’ have many obstacles that need policy support from the government. I then invited the players in the magot industry to gather and form associations so that the government could see the potential of magot for Indonesia,” said Rini.

Rini welcomed the innovation of magot which was finally supported to enter an industrial scale through the industry innovation incentives from the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry. Magot for fish feed has been launched in three types, namely Magfree (for fish growth), MagKrispy (for mother fish) and MaGranul (for fish seed).

Accidentally

Rini said she was interested in researching maggots after accidentally making a wrong identification. It began with an Indonesia-France research collaboration to develop alternative fish feed in 2005.

“The foreign researchers working with us said that we would try producing fish feed from belatung that they call maggot. “Those who were researching felt sick and vomited because of the bad smell from the carcass,” said Rini.

The research to produce magot, which was originally called maggot, was developed from oil palm shells, which was very cheap, so it was not utilized. Palm oil shell was fermented with bacteria taken from ruminants to degrade the shell. However, that method did not work.

The fermented shell was forgotten but it turned out that there was a lot of maggots in the shell. “The French researcher said, this is what he was looking for, which he had seen in Africa,” Rini said.

Then, the researchers waited for the maggots to become insects. Rini took the insects to be identified at the Bogor Agricultural Institute. No researcher had ever conducted research on these insects.

“Research on Hermetia illucens [black army flies] had been conducted at that time in other country. However, no one has arrived at utilizing it to produce fish feed. In Indonesia, magot mass production can be used for feed. That’s why we are applying for international patents. “Fortunately, we got support from France,” said Rini.

Research about magot stopped because Rini continued her doctoral studies and then research in France. “Actually, I don’t feel good when I was credited with being a magot expert. [Because that means] my expertise in the field of molecular genetics is no more,” Rini said with a laugh.

Rini has international scientific publications in the field of molecular genetics and lectures in several state universities. Her research in the field of molecular genetics also has a major impact on the mapping of eel distribution – in terms of molecular genetics -- and DNA barcoding of fish from peatland.

In 2013, Rini revived the magot research that had been suspended. However, she shifted the magot on organic waste that was always available and cheaper.

“This organic waste still has nutrients that can be consumed by fish and other livestock. Through bio-conversing using BSF insect eggs, the mountain of waste is converted more easily into magot and compost. So, at the same time, it also addresses environmental problems,” said Rini, who later applied for a patent for the method of using BSF larva on waste.

Rini said expensive fish feed was a problem for fish farmers. Rini was challenged to develop magot as a cheap and nutritious fish food.

The trial takes place in the Ornamental Fish Cultivation Research Center in Depok in collaboration with the Depok City Administration. Organic waste is sent to the center for magot food. In almost two weeks, mountains of organic waste are gone. Magots can be harvested to become fish feed -- both alive and processed. The rest of the waste becomes fine compost. Although it is an organic waste dump, the environment around the center does not smell bad.

“Across the world, environmental issues, including those related to waste, are a concern. I feel working in a team is great. The researcher should not work alone, but work with many parties, including industry. As a researcher, I feel happy if my research results make others better and happier,” Rini said.

Rini hopes more researchers will participate in the development of magot. Magot potential is not only for fish feed, but also for livestock and agriculture. In addition, of course, it also serves as environmentally friendly waste management that requires less investment.

“I hope this innovation will reach the community faster and have a significant impact. The government should also start helping the community to support waste management with bioconversion that uses magot,” said Rini.

Melta Rini Fahmi

Born: June 11, 1976

Education:

- Undergraduate in fisheries and marine at IPB (1999)

- Master in Aquatic Science at IPB (2004)

- Doctoral degree in biology at IPB (2013)

Patent:

- International Patent on producing insect larva for fish feed (Rini and Saurin Hem)

- National Patent on the use of BSF larva for bio-conversion of organic

waste and dish feed (Rini and Urip)

Award:

- Best researcher Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (2007)

- Satya Lencana Wirakarya from the President (2017)