UGM students assisted the residents of Banaran V Hamlet in Gunungkidul. They trained the villagers to cultivate and process sappanwood into an economically valuable product: sappanwood tea.
Through the Student Creativity Program in the category of Community Engagement, Dinka Aulia Nurul Ikhsan, Yanuar Fahmi Nur Hapsoro, Andreleo Jean Caesar Indra Purnama (Forestry 2022), Khansa Alleyda Hayu (Agricultural Engineering 2022), and Fiana Eka Aprilia (Forestry 2020) assisted the residents, especially the women in Banaran V Hamlet.
“Sappanwood is a semi-shrub plant from the Caesalpiniaceae family that is commonly found in Indonesia, and its availability is abundant in the vicinity of Wanagama Forest, Gunungkidul,” said Dinka Ikhsan.
Unfortunately, this plant has not been optimally utilized by the nearby residents. Therefore, they initiated the Hosechange program, which partnered with women in Banaran V to use abundant natural resources to create marketable products.
“We assisted the villagers in processing sappanwood into sappanwood tea. This brewed tea is different from traditional herbal drinks, as it is more effective and infused with ginger and lemongrass, which adds aroma and imparts a distinctive flavor to the beverage,” she explained.
Juwariyah (55) from Banaran V expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the UGM students. She hopes that using sappanwood to make sappanwood tea can provide additional income for them.
Author: Ika
Photo: The UGM Sappanwood Tutor Team