Branjang Village, September 28, 2024 – The Student Organizations (PPK) team from the Faculty of Economics and Business (HMPPE) UNNES introduced the “MixedMe” automatic mixer innovation, transforming the traditional palm sugar production process into a more efficient and economically valuable one. This mentoring and training program for palm sugar and liquid sugar production strategically supports the achievement of SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by optimizing the potential of local commodities through appropriate technology. MixedMe transforms tedious traditional work into a productive, modern business. “This tool not only saves time but also opens up new business opportunities with high-value products like palm sugar and liquid sugar,” explained Annisawidya Iswara, Chair of the PPK Ormawa. This product diversification increases the income of palm sugar farmers by up to 50% compared to conventional methods. “This technology transforms traditional MSMEs into modern industries with significantly increased production efficiency,” explained Mrs. Tata, a food technology expert at UNNES. This tool reduces production time from 4 hours to 1 hour per batch, while ensuring consistent quality. MixedMe supports a circular economy by optimizing local potential. “We’re shifting from conventional products to premium variants that are environmentally friendly and have high added value,” said Mrs. Siti Lasiyah, a palm sugar entrepreneur. This innovation reduces food loss in the production process and creates a more competitive product.
The event, held at the Branjang Village Multipurpose Building, featured food technology expert Juwita Ria Rumondang, S.Pd., M.Pd., from the Faculty of Engineering at UNNES. The event also involved village officials and palm sugar processing communities, creating a synergistic collaboration to modernize the traditional palm sugar industry.
Branjang Village, which has significant palm sugar potential, has faced challenges with manual processing, which is time-consuming and produces a low-value product. MixedMe offers a solution by automating the palm sugar stirring process from start to finish. “Before this training, the sugar-making process was quite time-consuming and labor-intensive. Thanks to MixedMe, we can more easily make palm sugar and liquid sugar with better results. We see a new business opportunity that can help our family’s economy,” said Siti Lasiyah, a member of the Gading Mayang Farmers’ Studio.
This innovation not only saves time and effort but also allows for product diversification into palm sugar (powdered palm sugar) and liquid sugar, which have a higher selling value than conventional molded sugar. The training also emphasizes consistent quality standards to compete in the modern market. “This training is crucial for the people of Branjang Village. With the right technology, the palm sugar production process is not only faster and more efficient but also produces a high-quality product. This will certainly increase residents’ incomes,” explained Tata, the training presenter, assisted by the Arzunia and Aisya Syifa teams.
Annisawidya Iswara, Chair of the Student Organizations’ PPK (Community Empowerment and Student Organizations), emphasized the commitment to ongoing mentoring. “We are proud to assist the community in increasing the productivity and selling value of palm sugar commodities. MixedMe is the right solution for efficient production processes and improving community welfare. We hope this will be the beginning of sustainable local economic growth.” This program not only provides technology transfer but also provides training in business management and product marketing. This comprehensive approach enables the community to become not only more efficient producers but also entrepreneurs with access to a wider market.
With the adoption of MixedMe technology, Branjang Village is projected to become a modern palm sugar production center capable of competing in the regional market, while also serving as an example of the successful digital transformation of locally-based MSMEs in Central Java.
