The Center for Land Resource Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (PS2DL UGM) organized a Sustainable Agroforestry-Based Forest Farmers Community Empowerment Program in Terong Village, Dlingo District, Bantul Regency. The empowerment program, which focuses on strengthening forest farmers’ capacity in natural resource management, was held at the residence of the Head of Terong Village, Sugiyono, featuring a workshop session titled “Utilizing Wood Biomass Waste into Biochar through Rotary Drum Pyrolysis”.
The session featured Dr. Nur Ainun Harlin Jennie Pulungan, a lecturer from the Faculty of Agriculture (Agriculture UGM) and the program’s lead, and Dr. Wahyu Wardhana from the Faculty of Forestry (Forestry UGM) as the technical resource person.
The activity also involved Thermogen, a student community that provided practical assistance and demonstrations of the pyrolysis machine.
Dr. Pulungan explained that the empowerment activity conducted by PS2DL UGM aims to strengthen the capacity of forest farmer communities while introducing the economic potential of community-managed forests.
She noted that the abundant wood waste found in forests can be processed into biochar, a product that not only has economic value but also helps improve soil fertility and forest land productivity.
“Through rotary drum pyrolysis technology, we aim to offer practical solutions for forest farmer groups so that land management can be carried out more sustainably,” she said.
Through this session on biochar utilization, UGM once again demonstrated its commitment to assisting communities through scientific, applicable, and sustainable approaches.
The use of biochar is expected not only to serve as an innovation in biomass waste management but also as a concrete step toward strengthening the independence of forest farmers and preserving the environment in Dlingo and surrounding areas.
“UGM and the Terong community are optimistic that this synergy will continue to grow as a model of empowerment that supports sustainable agriculture and forestry,” she added on Wednesday (Nov. 19).
Residents and members of the Jasema Forest Farmers Group (KTH Jasema) showed strong enthusiasm during the socialization.
They attentively followed explanations on the principles of the pyrolysis machine, the process of producing biochar, and the application of biochar to improve soil quality, enhance water retention, and support agricultural land productivity.
The session culminated in a hands-on demonstration of the wood-biomass waste-processing machine. Participants were impressed to see firsthand how low-value wood biomass waste could be transformed into a product with both economic and ecological benefits.
Sugiyono, Chair of KTH Jasema, expressed his gratitude for the activity. He said the strong community participation reflects their readiness to further develop biochar utilization as a solution to agricultural and environmental challenges.
According to Sugiyono, the activity encourages the community to independently optimize the use of the pyrolysis machine, thereby making biomass waste management more structured and sustainable, providing long-term environmental benefits for Terong Village.
“This program is very helpful for us. UGM has always been close to the community, and we hope that assistance and learning opportunities such as this will continue,” he said.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya