Agricultural productivity in Buru Island, Maluku is threatened by tailings which are generated from formerly gold mine in Botak Mountain in Wamsait Village. Gold that extracted by using mercury was carried out in mining area as well agricultural field. High content of mercury in tailings and agricultural field pose a serious problem of food production and quality; and further endangers human health. The purpose of this research was to determine the contaminant level of mercury in tailing, soil and its accumulation in edible part of some food crops. Soil, tailing and plant samples for Hg testing were taken by purposive method based on mining activities in Waelata, Waeapo and Namlea sub district. Six soil samples had been analyzed for their chemical properties. Total mercury levels in tailings and plants were measured by Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometer. This study showed that agricultural field where tailings were deposited contained Hg above the threshold but agricultural area which is far from hot spot did not. Most edible parts of food crops accumulated mercury more than Indonesian threshold for mercury content in food. This evidence explained that tailings deposited on the surface of agricultural field had an impact on soil quality and crop quality. Tailing accumulated on soil will decreased soil quality since naturally soil fertility in agricultural field in Buru is low.

In the agricultural sector, labor reduction is a significant obstacle to increasing potato production and the use of machinery is considered an effective solution. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential and profitability of implementing agricultural machinery and develop a specific strategy in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Data collection was carried out from September 2021 to April 2022, and the demonstration farming (demfarm) method was used to test three technology package, with and without agricultural machinery and with existing technology as a control. The study also surveyed farmer characteristics, use the demfarm method, and conducted focus group discussion on internal and external indicators influencing agricultural machinery development. Data analysis included the benefit-cost ratio (BCR), marginal BCR, and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The results showed that the development of agricultural machinery for potato cultivation was highly profitable, with a BCR of 1.28, suggesting that the development of agricultural machinery is worthwhile. The agricultural machinery technology demonstrated the best performance among the three packages studied. Based on the results, the policy strategy to support the sustainability of potato farming in Central Java involves the application of efficient agricultural technology by optimizing land availability, involving farmer institutions, and the use of agricultural machinery.

Excessive pesticide use and intensive shallot farming to satisfy high market demand can degrade soil quality and harm environmental sustainability. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as biochar and compost are alternatives to ensure long-term soil productivity and fertility. This study aimed to investigate the ability of biochar and compost made from bagasse waste to improve shallot growth, yield, nutrient absorption, and soil quality. The research used a factorial randomized block design in a greenhouse. The first factor was the application of biochar and compost (K1 = compost, K2 = biochar, K3 = biochar-compost (1:4/w:w) and K4 = biochar-compost (1:2/w:w), and the second factor was the dose of NPK fertilizer (0%, 50%, and 100% of the recommended dose). The planting medium used was an Inceptisol from shallot fields in Sukaharjo, Central Java. The variables measured included plant growth, yield components, soil chemical properties, and levels of N, P, and K in plants. The results showed that the combination of compost with 100% NPK fertilizer gave better results in plant growth, fresh and dry weight of plants and tubers, increased organic C, total N, and CEC of the soil, and increased the absorption of N, P, and K by plants.

Mercury (Hg) is commonly utilized in artisanal gold mining on Buru Island; the Hg-contaminated tailing possibly contaminates the agricultural land nearby. In general, tailings contain very low organic carbon and plant nutrients but are high in mercury and have extreme soil acidity. The objective of this study was to observe the growth of various legume cover crops (LCC) and the change of Hg in tailing inoculated with Azotobacter-Trichoderma. The field trial was conducted on Buru Island of Maluku by using a split-plot design with three replications. The main plot was LCC species, composed of Centrosema pubescens (CP), Mucuna sp. (MC), and Crotalaria sp. (CR); the subplots were microbial inoculants composed of two formulations of Azotobacter-Trochoderma inoculants. The results showed that the Mucuna sp. and consortia Azotobacter-Trichoderma (2:1) had the highest survival rate in the tailings and Hg uptake by 8.83 mg kg-1 per plant. Consortia Azotobacter-Trichoderma inoculant with the composition of 2:1 (v:v) was able to increase soil pH, total bacterial population, LCC biomass, and Hg uptake by LCC plants. The highest Hg removal effectivity was observed in the plot treated with Crotalaria sp. and in a plot with Azotobacter-Trichoderma (2:1), which was 34.0% and 33.6%, respectively.

The negative impact of excessive exposure to agrochemicals in shallot cultivation causes environmental pollution and human health. Biochar has the potential to absorb agrochemical contamination. This research aimed to investigate the effect of providing compost and biochar from agricultural waste on land quality, reducing the concentration of heavy metal cadmium (Cd) and mancozeb pesticide residues in soil and products in shallot. The experiment was carried out in shallot fields in Ngurensiti Village, Pati Regency, Central Java Province. Four different treatments, including combinations of biochar and compost, were applied, along with conventional controls. Data were analyzed using the F test (ANOVA) and Tukey's test using the Minitab statistical program version 16.0. The research showed that using biochar made from sugarcane bagasse, rice husk, corncob, and compost helped more soil bacteria grow and lowered Cd and mancozeb concentrations. In addition, treatment with biochar from sugarcane bagasse waste showed a decrease in Cd and mancozeb concentrations and a more significant increase in bacterial populations compared to other treatments (rice husk biochar and corncob biochar). Although there was a slight increase in Cd concentration in shallot leaves post-treatment, Cd levels in shallot bulbs remained within safe limits. This study shows that using biochar and compost from agricultural waste effectively improves soil quality, reduces heavy metal pollution, and lowers pesticide levels to support sustainable agriculture and protect people's health.