UNS — The increase in the demand for herbal plants processed products during the Covid-19 pandemic opened a business opportunity for Indonesian people. As a producer of herbs, Indonesia has a continuous supply of herbal plants. This opportunity encourages Group 347 of Student Community Service Program (KKN) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta to initiate a program on “Community Empowerment through Herbal Plants Cultivation to Improve Immune System with Economic Values” in Somomorodukuh Village, Plupuh Sub-District, Sragen District, Central Java.
The program that aims to inform the local community on the benefits of herbal plants and their management as a business was held on Thursday (26/8/2021) and was attended by the representatives from PKK of Sendangrojo Hamlet Somomorodukuh Village. The community empowerment program has several events, including socialization, product creation from herbal plants, and product packaging. To uns.ac.id team on Thursday (2/9/2021), the Team Leader, Suci, explained the excitement her team went through in preparing the program.
Group 347 KKN UNS prepared the components for the program one day before the training. The team selected ginger and turmeric, washed them, cut them, and dried them. The dried ingredients are then pulverized during the training while providing information on the benefits of herbal plants to the participants. The Group also handed a guidebook for the PKK members.
“Powdered ginger and turmeric were made by copping dried gingers and turmerics into powders and packaged it with interesting design and logo,” Suci added. This process increased the economic value of herbal processed products. The products are ready to be marketed through e-commerce.
At the end of their program, the Group also handed 100 herbal plants seed to the PKK in Sendangrojo Hamlet, consisting of 35 ginger seeds, 25 turmeric seeds, and 30 lemongrass seeds.
“The socialization and demonstration on herbal plants use expected to provide continuous benefits for PKK Sendangrejo Hamlet Somomorodukuh Village members,” Suci concluded
Besides the empowerment program through herbal plants cultivation, Group 347 KKN UNS implemented three main programs and 12 supporting programs, including the empowerment program through herbal plants cultivation. Humas UNS
Reporter: Alinda Hardiantoro
Editor: Dwi Hastuti