The members of Community Service Program (KKN) Team 044 of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) made an innovation to process salak seeds which are not utilized by the people of Sibolong, Jatimulyo, Kulon Progo hamlets into salak seed coffee that has a sale value. This innovation is an effort to improve the economy of the Sibolong hamlet community because the area is an abundant salak producing area.

This intent was conveyed by the head of the KKN 044 UMY, Muhammad Pasha, during a workshop on the use of salak seeds on Thursday (1/23). “Sibolong Hamlet, which is the location of our Community Service Program, actually has the potential to process salak into an item that has a sale value,” said the UMY Civil Engineering student.

Dr. Ir. Iswanto., S.T., M.Eng., IPM, the supervisor of KKN 044 UMY also added that the KKN program is expected to reduce the amount of wasted seeds by processing it into a commodity. “This Sibolong hamlet has been using salak as a commodity by making it a salak juice drink, but they have been wasting the seeds. So, we try to process this waste into goods that have sale value,” he explained.

Processing zalacca seeds is not difficult. It starts with collecting zalacca seeds, then chopping them into gravel-sized pieces. Then, the snakefruit seeds are washed clean and then dried in the sun for 2 to 3 days. After it is dry, it is gound it with a coffee grinder, then brewed with warm water. Add sugar if you want to get a sweet taste. (Sofia)