USU's team consisted of Prof Ir Lilis Sukeksi, M.Sc, Ph.D., Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof Dr. Ir Elisa Julianti, M.Si, Head of the Chemical Engineering Study Program Ir Maya Sarah, ST, MT, Ph.D., IPM, and Chemical Engineering Lecturer Ir Erni Misran, ST, MT, Ph.D., a young national trainer and an author, Saddam Wira Hamdani.

The FGD was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Gunungsitoli, Sowa'a Laoli, SE, M.Si and attended by the Division Head of HR and General Services Regional 1, Kasih Dwi Yanti representing Regional 1 PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero). Also, present on the occasion were the Head of the Office of Industry and Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, Yarniwati Gulo, S.Sos, M.Si, Division Head of HR and General Services Regional 1 Kasih Dwi Yanti, Head of the Office of Industry and Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises Yarniwati Gulo, S.Sos., M.Si, community leaders, women leaders, youth leaders of Gunungsitoli City as well as 95 candidates and MSME players in Gunungsitoli city.

In his remarks, Sowa'a Laoli highly appreciated the FGD activities and thanked PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) and the USU lecturer team.

Sowa'a loli stated, "This FGD activity will continue until small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) can be more professional in producing superior products and can ultimately add value to the economy of Gunungsitoli city and grow new MSME companies in the future."

The activity, which received an enthusiastic response from the participants, was initiated by Prof Ir Lilis Sukeksi, M.Sc, Ph.D., and lecturers from USU Chemical Engineering to refine coconut in Nias into derivative products that can increase added value. Then, the proposal for the processing of coconuts was submitted to PT Pelindo Regional 1.

"USU, since 2019, has had a factory standardized by CPKB (Good Manufacturing Practice) for cosmetic products from coconut derivatives under the Artsari brand. We submitted a proposal to PT Pelindo Regional 1. Through several meetings and discussions, PT Pelindo stated that it was willing to partner with USU Chemical Engineering to carry out PT Pelindo Regional I's Environmental Social Responsibility (TJSL) activities, create an independent foster village program in Gunung Sitoli through the downstream of coconut derivative products while empowering Gunung Sitoli MSMEs," he said

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Regional 1 PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero) conducts FGDs aimed at helping to accommodate and facilitate business actors in the city of Gunungsitoli to become professional business actors so that downstream, commodities that were previously sold in raw form or raw materials can become semi-finished or finished goods that have a higher selling value.

Representing the Division Head of HR and General Services Regional 1, Kasih Dwi Yanti said that her party would accommodate and facilitate business actors in the city of Gunungsitoli, including giving birth to new MSME players in the Hinterland Pelindo Gunung Sitoli branch.

For this activity, an MoA was previously signed between PT Pelindo Pelindo Regional 1 and the USU Faculty of Engineering as well as the signing of the Implementation Agreement between PT Pelindo Regional 1 and the USU Chemical Engineering Study Program. Then PT Pelindo Regional 1 partnered with the Gunung Sitoli City Government. The first activity carried out was a field survey on coconut in Gunung Sitoli, which was carried out on June 5, 2023. This will be followed by an FGD on June 13, which aims to capture the local government's and existing MSMEs' interests.

Furthermore, a training program on making soap and shampoo from coconut oil, VCO, and nata de coco will be conducted for selected MSMEs to make coconut-derived products at USU. It is planned that the training will last for five days for two batches which will be carried out around August 2023. At the end of the year, monitoring and evaluation will be conducted. Replication of the soap and shampoo factory in Gunung Sitoli will be continued in 2024.

Author: Bambang Riyanto - Humas

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Amri Simatupang - Humas