Yogyakarta, April 14, 2024, The Yogyakarta State University (UNY) lecturer team held a community service activity entitled “Strengthening Womenpreneurs through Food Diversification Based on Local Potential to Support Economically Independent Families” in Wonolelo Village, Pleret District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta. This activity took place on Saturday - Sunday, April 13-14, 2024.

This activity was initiated by a team of Tata Boga lecturers, Faculty of Engineering and Economics Education, Faculty of Economics and Business consisting of food processing and business management disciplines. The results of the situation analysis revealed that the great potential possessed by women in developing local-based food businesses in the Wonolelo area needs to be improved.

This activity aims to improve the knowledge and skills of womenpreneurs in Wonolelo Village, Pleret, Bantul in food diversification, especially by utilizing local potential. Food diversification is an effort to improve family food security by utilizing various types of local food ingredients.

This activity was attended by 20 womenpreneurs from Wonolelo Village, Pleret, Bantul who are members of the Purworejo Women Farmers Group, Pleret, Bantul. The UNY lecturer team consisting of Prof. Dr. Mutiara Nugraheni, M.Si., Titin Hera Widi Handayani, M.Pd., Luthfi Riyadh Rahman, M.Pd and Sulasmi, M.Pd. this activity also involved Catering students namely Siti Nursipa Maulida, Nur Evirda Khosyiati, Aryobimo Maulana and Zahra Karima Hayati.

The material presented was about food diversification, food licensing, sanitation hygiene, packaging, labeling and food safety and entrepreneurship. While food processing practices were divided into four groups of participants. Group one made mustard and carrot healthy noodles, group two made dry spring rolls and spring rolls, group three made coin peyek and group four made ginger syrup. Participants were enthusiastic in both theory and practical training.

“In the current economic conditions, women are often required to be productive by utilizing the potential of the environment and we believe that women's economic empowerment can have a major impact on the welfare of families and society as a whole. This program is the beginning of assistance that hopes to equip women not only with processing skills, but also how to package products according to the provisions of the Food Law and market them through various media. So that it is expected to increase the ability of women in Wonolelo, Bantul to become economically independent families,” said Prof. Dr. Mutiara Nugraheni, M.Si, in her speech as the head of the UNY community service team.

This community service program received a warm welcome from the local community. The women in Wonolelo enthusiastically participated in the training and utilized the knowledge provided by the UNY lecturer team. In addition to training in food processing, the lecturer team also provided knowledge about business management and marketing. This is expected to help the local womenpreneurs in managing their businesses effectively and sustainably.

“I am very happy to join this program. Now I have new knowledge on how to process agricultural products into value-added products, and I am sure this will help me increase my family's income,” said Ibu Anis, one of the program participants.

Hopefully, through this program, more strong Womenpreneurs will be born and able to become agents of change in improving the welfare of families and communities in Wonolelo village, Pleret, Bantul. This program is also an inspiring example for women's economic empowerment efforts in other areas.