(February 23, 2024) The team of lecturers from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, FTP UGM, consisting of Dr. Sri Rahayoe, S.T.P., M.P., and Dr. Joko Nugroho Wahyu Karyadi, S.T.P., M.Eng., along with the team from Kaleka (Kaleka.id), Mr. Muhammad Adi Supriyadi, and Samuel Payo S.T.P., undertook efforts to modernize the production of block sugar and palm sugar from the Nypa fruticans palm. The activity took place at the Post-Harvest Hall in Sabuai Village, Kumai District, West Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. This activity is a continuation of the previous event held in November 2023.
During this occasion, the team of lecturers from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering demonstrated several tools for modernizing the production of block sugar and palm sugar. Some of the introduced tools include: Stirred Evaporator, Rotating Crystallizer, and Dryer. The Stirred Evaporator is used to thicken the Nypa sap, and the stirrer can reduce human labor, especially when the sap becomes thick. The Rotating Crystallizer is used to crystallize sugar into powder mechanically. The Dryer is used to dry palm sugar to prolong its shelf life.
The head of Sabuai Village, Mr. Tohari, expressed his hopes for this activity, stating, “I am very grateful for the training provided by Kaleka and the UGM team. Hopefully, the knowledge gained by the community can be applied and become an additional source of income for the people.” The activities conducted are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely: Zero Hunger (2), Decent Work and Economic Growth (8), Life Below Water (14), Life on Land (15), and Partnership for the Goals (17).
