The Karangtengah KKN-PPM 2021 JT033 team has creative ideas for the use of water hyacinth in the Sipon River, Wonowoso Village, Karangtengah District, Demak Regency.
Kuntum Khaira Ummah, a member of the UGM Karangtengah 2021 JT033 KKN-PPM Team from the 2018 Biology Study Program, explained that the Sipon River is quite wide and long, but unfortunately, this river is no longer used by villagers other than as a habitat for water hyacinth which grows rapidly to fill the water surface.
“The Sipon River is used as a source of irrigation and fish cultivation by villagers, but the tidal floods that often hit in the dry season made this river unable to function as before,” said Khaira on Tuesday (7/9).
The effect of the tidal flood that comes in the dry season causes river water to become salty at times. Thus, it becomes an unfavorable habitat for freshwater fish. The extreme changes in water flow, nutrient levels, and acidity levels that occur continuously in river water due to tidal flooding have triggered the rapid growth of water hyacinth in the Sipon River.
Khaira added that water hyacinth, which grows rapidly in the Sipon River, Wonowoso Village, is only sold raw to collectors and then shipped to Semarang City.
“There are no villagers who process this plant into handicrafts directly. The use of water hyacinth as a craft material can be a way to hone skills and become a business idea, especially for young people and PKK in Wonowoso Village while increasing water hyacinth sales turnover compared to only selling it in raw form,” said Kahira on Thursday (9/9).
Therefore, the UGM Karangtengah KKN-PPM Team 2021 JT033 through the Water Hyacinth Utilization Program as an Opportunity for Village Business Ideas, wrote an e-booklet entitled “Eceng Gondok: From Weeds to Business Ideas” (https://bit.ly/BookletEcengGondok) which contains a description of water hyacinth, the benefits of water hyacinth, various tutorials for home crafts from water hyacinth, as well as advantages and considerations in using water hyacinth as a basic craft material.
The e-booklet is written in a relaxed and informative style so that it is easy to understand. There are also video tutorial links for several water hyacinth crafts that can be accessed through the website and social media of Wonowoso Village and the Wonowoso Village PKK group. This e-booklet aims to inspire village residents on developing the use of water hyacinth, especially as a craft material.
This program should be able to develop MSMEs in Wonowoso Village in line with the theme carried by the UGM Karangtengah KKN-PPM Team in 2021 JT033 regarding the development of MSMEs and tourist villages.
The Karangtaruna Management of Wonowoso Village, Sayifudin Jamal, also appreciated this program.
“This program is useful in inspiring villagers to increase their income by using water hyacinth, which has never been processed before in Wonowoso Village,” he explained.
Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/21654-tim-kkn-ppm-ugm-beri-ide-kreatif-pemanfaatan-eceng-gondok
