UNAIR Chemistry Department Develops Tourism Village Potential through Eco Green Tourism
UNAIR NEWS – Department of Chemistry, FST-UNAIR in collaboration with several partner universities from within and outside the country held international community services (ICS-2024) activities in Senden Village, Kampak District, Trenggalek Regency. There were three main activities during the 4-day activity. Namely, product packaging training for micro businesses in Senden Village, Kampak District, online product marketing training, identifying medicinal plants found in the Senden Village area, and promoting Ngerit Cave (Ngerit Stone Park) throughout Indonesia and the world.
The ICS-2024 activity was facilitated by the research institutes of Universitas Airlangga, Department of Chemistry, and Faculty of Science and Technology. The activity aims to develop the village through the concept of eco green tourism. The concept of eco green tourism applied in this programme emphasises the sustainable and responsible use of natural resources. This is in line with UNAIR’s commitment to support sustainable development and environmental conservation.
ICS-2024 was opened by the Vice Rector of RICD Universitas Airlangga, Prof. Dr. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih on 8 July 2024 in the FST-UNAIR conference room. The opening was also filled with guest lectures by three lecturers from partner universities, namely: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yoshiaki Takaya, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siti Nor Atika Baharin, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mir Hassan Khoso. On 9 July 2024, Senden village was welcomed by Ibu Camat, Bapak Kades, village officials, and Ibu-Ibu PKK Senden village, as well as Ibu Ketua bhayangkari Ranting Senden as an activity partner.
The International Community Services team consists of lecturers and students from the departments of Chemistry, Information Systems, and Economics of Universitas Airlangga. In addition to Indonesian students, there were also several students from Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Meanwhile, lecturers and students of Partner University came from Major General Sungkono University (UNIMAS) Mojokerto, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan; UiTM Negeri Sembilan and University of Malaya, Malaysia; and SMBBMU, Larkana, Pakistan. The team with total 44 people who were divided into three activities.
The training was also conducted in collaboration with Bhayangkari Ranting Kampak and PKK Senden Village. Thirty (30) micro-entrepreneurs in Senden village each brought one of their products. Although some of them have more than one product, only one product is facilitated to be helped to be packaged so that it is more eye-catching and marketed online. The micro-entrepreneurs were very enthusiastic about participating in the training during the two-day activity. Through this activity, the micro-entrepreneurs hope that they will be able to sell their products throughout the year, unlike before, that they only get orders only before the holidays.
The 44 local and international lecturers and students spent four days in Senden Village staying in 22 houses. One house was occupied by two people, one international student accompanied by one local student. Both lecturers and international students were very happy and amazed by the hospitality and kindness of the villagers to accommodate and serve them during their stay in the village. Meanwhile, the villagers were also very happy and proud to receive guests from the city and also from abroad. Mr H. Sumarji, ST as the head of Senden Village and Mrs Dra. Hasnawati Kampak Sub-District Head hope that this activity will be the forerunner of the opening of new homestays in Senden village. Given the existence of Ngerit Cave and the mountains in Senden village which are very exotic in the future will invite many tourists to come in.
The medicinal plant identification team has successfully collected 100 medicinal plants in the Senden Village area. These 100 medicinal plant specimens will be preserved and collected at Universitas Airlangga and combined with collections from other locations to be placed in the showroom of Universitas Airlangga’s LIHTR Building. In addition to being a collection, these specimens will be used as a reference for further identification of medicinal plants.
Senden village head Sumarji, ST expressed his gratitude on behalf of the village government. It is an honour for Senden Village to collaborate with a renowned campus in Indonesia. ‘Of course this will have a positive impact in all fields, especially in the potential of this Ngerit tourism village which will be promoted and a research object. As well as two days of MSME training which is very beneficial for our community,’ said Sumarji.
This friendly village head also hopes that the ICS-2024 programme can become an effective and sustainable village development model, by combining village potential and community participation. ‘So that Senden Village has the potential to become an attractive tourist village and attract tourists,’ concluded Sumarji.
Author: FST UNAIR
