������Ƶ

The program spanned approximately one week in Jatiroke Village, Jatinangor District, Sumedang Regency. It was initiated due to corn's significant potential as a primary commodity in the region. However, a substantial portion of the corn harvest in Jatiroke Village was primarily used as animal feed, yielding relatively low profits from the sale of shelled corn. Therefore, training in corn product diversification, particularly the production of corn flour and starch, was offered as a concrete solution to boost farmers' income and the local family economy.

The SITH ITB PPM team comprised Dr. Alfi Rumidatul (chair), accompanied by Dr. Yayat Hidayat and Dr. Anne Hadiyane as members. Dr. Rijanti Rahaju Maulani served as the main speaker for the training, which was attended by approximately 30 PKK (Family Welfare Movement) women from Jatiroke Village.

Dr. Alfi explained the rationale behind selecting corn flour as a diversification product. "Corn flour has various easily acceptable applications in daily food, allowing the PKK women to quickly master its production techniques," she stated. Corn flour products are also deemed capable of increasing the added value of corn typically consumed directly.

The training was conducted over about a week, beginning with theoretical sessions followed by independent practice supervised periodically. In her presentation, Dr. Rijanti discussed various types of semi-finished corn products, their advantages and disadvantages, and the procedures for producing corn flour and starch. She also introduced other diversified products such as corn emping (chips), popcorn, and corn oil. Dr. Rijanti emphasized that corn flour has a higher nutritional content compared to cornstarch, despite having a coarser texture.

Participants showed high enthusiasm throughout the training. The Head of the Jatiroke Village PKK expressed deep appreciation to the ITB team for the new knowledge and skills provided. "We are grateful for this knowledge. In the future, the women can get creative in making corn-based food products, thereby increasing family income," she remarked.

The SITH ITB PPM team also extended its gratitude to various parties who supported the activity, including the Directorate of Research, Technology, and Community Service of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, the Institute for Community Services ITB, and the Gunung Geulis Communication Forum.

Through this program, it is hoped that Jatiroke farmers will not only sell corn in shelled form but also be able to present value-added processed products that open up wider market opportunities and improve community welfare.