Segorogunung Village has potential in tourism and agricultural sectors, with tourism sectors well known among visitors. Tourism development requires supporting sectors such as culinary and souvenirs. Segorogunung Village potential that could be developed such as chayote. However, low creativity and innovation lead to a low-profit margin for the local community. Therefore, as an implementation of Higher Education Tri Dharma through community service and assisting local people in developing their local potential, the Diploma Program (D-3) of Agribusiness Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta in Student Association in Diploma Program of Agribusiness (Gamagrita) conducted empowerment program that focuses on local community business skills upgrade.

The program was implemented under the Rural Community Empowerment Program (P2MD) funded by the Directorate General of Vocational and Professional Higher Education Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) and the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka Program (MBKM) by directly assisting community members and develop students’ skills. In the implementation, the Team collaborated with the rural government, village-owned business (BUMDes) Mustika Lawu, and Women Farmers Group (KWT) Mawar. In five months, the Team has conducted diverse activities, such as “Scale-Up Local Rural Production Supporting Segorogunung Tourism Destination” training, chayote processing into chayote chips, risoles, brownies, and wingko, assistance in development progress and solution for issues that arise, and branding through packaging under “Sechi” brand.

The Team also established the Agrilawu Center as a center for incubation and sales of Segorogunung excellent products and tourism destination that provides photo spots with a “millennial colorful” theme. The center was officially opened and introduced on Thursday (11/11/2021), located south of the Segorogunung football field. The opening ceremony was attended by Ngargoyoso Subdistrict Chief Wahyu Agus Pramono, S.S.T.P., who appreciated the efforts made by the Team. “Thank you to Universitas Sebelas Maret academic members for helping in the development of Segorogunung Village. Hopefully, this event does not stop here, but could continue and develop,” he stated.

The ceremony was also attended by the representative from the Tourism, Youth, and Sports Office of Karanganyar District, Sarno S.Kar., as the Head of Tourism Marketing Development, who also welcomed the program and considered it to be in line with Karanganyar tourism vision in 2030. “We support this program as a small step in achieving Karanganyar tourism vision in 2030,” he stated.

Another appreciation was shared by the Dean of Vocational School UNS, Drs. Santoso Tri Hananto, M.Acc., Ak., showed his gratefulness for the success in P2MD program implementation. He also mentioned that collaboration among other programs is necessary for community development efforts. “So that, the output could be diverse and reach various elements of the rural community,” he added.

The Team also received thanks from Segorogunung Village Chief, Tri Harjono, S.Sos., for selecting his village as a community service location. “Thank you to P2MD Gamagrita Team led by Mbak Hilda and supervisor for helping this village development to be more advanced and independent in the future,” he said in his opening remark.

Hilda Sekar Wulandari, as Team Leader, also thanked all parties who helped her Team in implementing their programs. She also mentioned that she learned many things during the process. According to Rysca Indreswari, S.Pt., M.Si., as a team supervisor, the program is an appropriate means of knowledge transfer and implementation of what students learn because, as an agent of change, students need to observe and solve issues in the community.

In the opening ceremony, SV UNS also signed an agreement of collaboration with Segorogunung Village as assisted village and community service site for students. The event was also livened up by Afifah Nuha Prasiswi who sang modern Javanese songs. Humas UNS

Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

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The P2MD Gamagrita SV UNS Team leader, Hilda Sekar Wulandari, stated that through the “Digital Marketing Training in Building Business in 4.0 Era,” her team wanted to improve the creativity and innovation from Segorogunung villagers in processing their agricultural yields. Hilda also explained that the existing sales method in which farmers sell their fresh vegetables to a middleman resulted in a low margin for farmers. “To increase this margin, (farmers) could perform processing and marketing,” she explained.

Hilda also stated that in training, her team invited Salma Aulya Putri to deliver materials on digital marketing, followed by a practice to take product pictures based on the materials they received. The training was held in Segorogunung village hall with Women Farmers Group (Mawar) and PKK Segorogunung as participants. The training also equipped its participants with knowledge on farming yields processed products marketing to reacher greater markets. A participant of the training, Sugiyatno, stated that the material he received is very beneficial because it can be applied in their farming business development.

“Hopefully, this event could continue and does not stop middle way. Success for Segorogunung Village,” Sugiyatno from Segorogunung Field Agricultural Extension (PPL) Officer stated.

P2MD Gamagrita SV UNS Team Roles

This digital marketing training is only one of the P2MD Gamagrita SV UNS Team community service programs. Before this training, the team has conducted “Scale Up Rural Products in Supporting Segorogunung Tourism Destination” training on 13-14 August 2021. Hilda Sekar Wulandari stated that the training aims to train Segorogunung villagers to process local products from chayote. The villagers were also taught about packaging, marketing, business legality, and branding.

“This program provided new knowledge for the community. Hopefully, in the future, Segorogunung people could use their local potential into excellent products to support their tourism sector,” Hilda Sekar Wulandari added.

The supervisor of P2MD Gamagrita SV UNS Team, Rysca Indreswari, S.Pt., M.Si explained that her students want to increase Segorogunung people income-generating and had participated in establishing Sentra Agrilawu MSMEs center as a center for incubation of rural local products. Built on the village planned as a new tourism destination, this center for MSMEs is expected to be the center for local products to achieve sustainable development goals and attract visitors to Segorogunung village.

“This program was funded with IDR 28.5 million from Rural Community Empowerment Program (P2MD) Directorate General of Vocational Education Kemendikbudristek RI. The team also received supported funding from APBDes quarter 2 with IDR 10 million,” Rysca Indreswari, S.Pt., M.Si., explained. Humas UNS

Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
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The online webinar was participated by all D-3 Agribusiness students. Arifah shared tips and tricks to complete the final assignment for diploma students. She stated that students should have a strong will, find a theme and title for their final assignment, then prepare SWOT analysis and time target. “Don’t forget to consult once or twice a week; finish revisions in the same day.
Little progress is better than no progress,” the 2016 alumnus explained. After completing the final assignment, Arifah suggested that the final result could be developed into a business.

In selecting a theme for the final assignment, she suggested that students determine their interests, then collect data from literature and new information, observation, discussion, seminar. “You could also ask friends or seniors to discuss. After that, consult your supervisor,” she explained in the webinar held on Saturday (11/9/2021).

To conclude the session, Arifah shared motivational remarks with the students that whatever the title of the assignment, no matter how tricky the supervisor, the one who will complete it first is those who continue to progressing forward. The motivational remark was followed by the next speaker, Cicik Lailatul M. A.Md.P., who shared the appropriate method to communicate with the supervisor. Cicik stated that the basic method to contact a supervisor is to introduce oneself when contacting for the first time and explain the clear intent and purposes.

“Don’t forget to ask for help, apologize, and thank you,” Cicik said.

Ruby Agil Hasan, the last speaker, delivered tips to prepare for the presentation by performing a mock exam to reduce anxiety during the real examination. Humas UNS

Reporter: Bayu Aji Prasetya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

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