Faculty of Animal Husbandry of University of Brawijaya students innovated to process cassava to become sachets of porridge with various flavorings addition. Cassava porridge made by Puguh Harianto, Pranaya Arya, Mustaqin brought them to be a champion in Agriculture fair 2016 at University of Sumatera Utara (USU). The event named as National Scientific Writing Competition held by Faculty of Agriculture of USU (21-25/Sep/2016).
Supervised by a lecturer Anie Eka Kusumastuti, S.Pt., M.Sc, they lifted a paper titled “Innovation on Various Flavors Cassava Porridge as Efforts to Optimize Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises In Increasing the Level of Economy of the Communities of Sumber Waras, Kalirejo Village, Lawang Subdistrict, Malang District”.
Explained by Pranaya, the village was selected since considered to have potential cassava area but its crop is not yet processed effectively. Farmers tend to sell directly into the collectors. After had a field observation, the 2015 class students initiated to create a cassava based products to improve its sale-value. According to him, farmers gave positive response and also supported their plan.
Cassava porridge has larger business opportunity if compared to process it into chips. This is due many producers who process cassava-chips, in addition all gift-products are in form of cassava based chips.
“We are very pleased and actually do not think to be the winner in the competition. We are three are 2015 class students and this is our first work,” said Pranaya to add.
The event that convened for five days (21-25/Sep/2016) lifted a theme “The Roles of Youths as Agent of Change to build the 2025 independent Indonesia”. [dta /trans. Denok]