UNS — A team of Community Partnership Program (Program Kemitraan Masyarakat – PKM) Group Research (GR) Energy Conversion, Combustion, and Energy Education (ECCEE) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta created a machine to produce fish flour from fish wastes. The machine was created to support fish fodder production for the fish farming group in Berahan Kulon Village, Wedung Sub-District, Demak District, Central Java. The PKM was led by Dr. Eng. Herman Saputro with Dr. Laila Fitriana, Budi Siswanto, M. Ars, Ir. Husin Bugis, and Ranto, M. T as members. The program was held on Friday (16/10/2020).
Besides working with the fish farming group, GR ECCEE UNS also collaborate with the Energy Conversion and Combustion Laboratory (ECCL) UNS to involve the students of Engineering Education Program Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) UNS in term of innovation and the design of fish flour machine.
“This machine processed fish wastes into fish flour. It is a common knowledge that the price of fish fodder is the main variable for the fish farming business,” the Head of GR ECCEE UNS, Dr. Eng. Herman Saputro stated in an official release, Tuesday (20/10/2020). He explained that the idea to create fish flour machine started from observation and discussion with the Village Chief of Berahan Kulon, Bp. Sugondo, ST., MT. GR ECCEE UNS conducted a follow up by identifying the problems and mapping potential resources in Berahan Kulon Village. The Group Research found that there are unprocessed fish wastes that can reach up to 100-150 kg/ day and the problem of fish fodder availability for the fish farming group in Berahan Kulon Village. The discussion between GR ECCEE UNS, Village Chief, and fish farming group agreed to conduct a program to empower the fishermen in processing fish wastes into fish flour.
The design of the machine is adjusted to the characteristics of the raw materials in the form of fish wastes and the availability of propulsion energy in Berahan Kulon Village. The machine has the advantage of completing the whole process of fish flour production from cutting the raw materials into pulverizing the fish flour. The flour refinement can be performed because the machine is equipped with an integrated sieving mechanism to produce flour with two different sizes. With this machine, Dr. Eng. Herman Saputro hopes that it can support the production of fish fodder for the fish farming group in the village. Currently one kilogram of fish fodder cost around IDR 12.000 – IDR 15.000, which is why this item becomes an important variable in fish farming.
The cost of producing one-kilogram fish fodder from fish wastes is around IDR 5.000 to IDR 6.000. If the production runs well, there will be a significant efficiency that will increase the income of fish farmers. One of the fish farming group members, Imam, conveyed gratitude for the contribution and concern from GR ECCEE UNS. He hopes that a similar event can be conducted regularly, especially concerning other machines that can support fish farming activities. “Thank you to UNS for conducting this partnership program. We are greatly helped and hopefully, this can be conducted regularly in the future,” Imam stated. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
