On Sunday, August 25, 2024, a team of lecturers and students from the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM carried out community service activities with a farmer group in Kalibawang District, Kulon Progo Regency, DIY. The socialization and training on small-scale cocoa bean fermentation were attended by 47 participants from cocoa farmer groups, women’s organizations (PKK), representatives of youth groups, and summer course students from Ibaraki University, Faculty of Agriculture. The Agricultural Microbiology lecturer who served as the resource person for the cocoa fermentation training was Nur Akbar Arofatullah, SP., M.Biotech., Ph.D., who taught the participants about small-scale cocoa bean fermentation.
As part of the Tri Dharma of higher education, which includes education, training, and community service, the lecturers and students of the Department of Agricultural Microbiology initiated the idea of providing training to cocoa farmers. This was in response to the growing market trend for chocolate, although cocoa farmers in Kulon Progo only have small plots of land, resulting in low productivity and limited harvests. Therefore, the Agricultural Microbiology lecturers organized community service in the form of small-scale cocoa bean fermentation training. The training included not only theoretical instruction but also practical demonstrations of how to make fermentation tools and ferment cocoa beans. A special bucket for food-safe fermentation was made by drilling holes in the bottom and sides of the bucket, after which summer course students assisted in cracking open the cocoa pods and weighing the beans for fermentation. The results of the training were stored and distributed to the participants to practice at home. It is hoped that the various training programs conducted by the university will provide significant benefits to the community. This synergy serves as strong evidence to achieve the goals of SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Author: Faisal Nurul Fajri