IO, Bogor – IPB University student Mega Ainun won 3rd place in the National Mechanical Education Festival essay competition organized by the Mechanical Engineering Education Student Association, Sebelas Maret University (UNS), at the end of last month. In this competition, Mega wrote an essay titled “Kripsea: Efforts to Optimize Marine Potential through Community empowerment- based Sea Grapes in Bunguran Island, Natuna”.
This essay describes how to make a souvenir product called Kripsea, a cracker product made from the basic ingredients of sea grapes (Caulerpa sp.). “The process of making Kripsea is quite easy, so hopefully it can be immediately applied by the people around the island. There are still many residents around the island who are in the underprivileged category,” she told Public Relations of IPB University, Friday (6/11/2020).
According to one of the beneficiaries of Pondok Inspirasi in Bogor, Indonesia is a part of the world’s coral triangle. This condition gives Indonesia the potential for abundant seaweed resources. There are at least more than 550 types of potential seaweed in Indonesian waters. However, only five of them have high economic value and are cultivated en masse.
Folklore relates how sea grapes have long been used as food by the people of Bunguran Island. However, their potential for development and cultivation in the region has not been pursued. The community tends to consume them directly from the water.
“In my opinion, there is a need for efforts to optimize sea grapes, developing them into a product that has a high economic value, to add value to sea grapes,” added Mega.
The daughter of a farmer from Jember, East Java is currently studying at the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University. During her time as a member of Pondok Inspirasi, Mega was encouraged to always be productive and become a learner. “Don’t be afraid to be wrong, don’t be afraid to lose. The point is being a productive person in the ongoing process,” she said. (est)