MEKONGGA: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat

Preparation of Agricultural Extension Programs for the Food Crops and Horticulture Service, Langgosipi Village, Watubangga District, Kolaka Regency

Campina Illa Prihantini — 2026-05-08

The preparation of the 2026 Agricultural Extension Program in Langgosipi Village, Watubangga District, Kolaka Regency was carried out to design extension activities that are targeted, effective, and aligned with the needs of farmers. This activity employed participatory methods through village coordination, data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs), field surveys, and program formulation workshops. The evaluation results indicate that the village has strong potential in oil palm, coffee, and pepper commodities, supported by fertile land conditions and the use of superior seedlings. However, challenges remain in cultivation, post-harvest handling, marketing, and farmers’ technical capacity. Based on these findings, an extension program was developed that includes priority topics, implementation methods such as SLP, demonstration plots, and hands-on training, as well as a quarterly activity schedule. Overall, this program is expected to improve farmers’ productivity, product quality, and income, while also strengthening institutional capacity and the sustainability of agricultural practices in Langgosipi Village, Watubangga District, Kolaka Regency.

Introduction and Implementation of the Internet of Things for Students Vocational High School 1 Punggur Besar

Hirzen Hasfani — 2026-05-18

The training program “Introduction and Implementation of IoT” at Vocational High School(VHS) 1 Punggur Besar aims to enhance students’ understanding and practical skills in developing IoT-based systems. The training introduces key IoT concepts, components such as sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers, and how devices communicate via the internet. Through hands-on sessions, students create simple projects like temperature and humidity monitoring systems, smart lighting, and sensor-based notifications. This program helps students build technical competence in hardware assembly and IoT programming while fostering creativity and problem-solving abilities. As a result, students gain better readiness to face industrial demands that rely on digital technologies and are encouraged to innovate in applying IoT to real-world challenges.

Circular Economy-Based Transformation of Pepper Waste through Community Empowerment in Matano Village

Muhammad Naim — 2026-08-04

The community of Matano Village, East Luwu Regency, has not optimally utilized pepper waste generated from agricultural activities, resulting in limited economic value and potential environmental problems. This community service program aimed to introduce the utilization of pepper waste through a circular economy-based community empowerment approach by converting agricultural waste into organic fertilizer. The implementation method consisted of problem identification, solution design, training, hands-on practice in processing pepper waste into organic fertilizer, mentoring, and activity evaluation. The implementation results showed that participants were able to complete each stage of the processing procedure and produce organic fertilizer that could be reused in agricultural cultivation. Furthermore, the program introduced circular economy principles as an approach to optimizing agricultural waste utilization and increasing the value of local resources. This community service program indicates that empowering communities to utilize pepper waste has the potential to support more sustainable agricultural waste management while expanding the utilization of local resources.

Artificial Intelligence in Education: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Gerlan Apriandy Manu — 2026-08-04

The development of digital technology presents both challenges and new opportunities in education, particularly through the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, many educators, students, and the general public still lack understanding of AI’s potential in supporting learning processes, developing teaching materials, and improving academic efficiency. This community service activity aimed to enhance participants’ literacy regarding the use of AI in education through an online webinar entitled Artificial Intelligence in Education: Turning Challenges into Opportunities. The method included preparation of materials, online webinar implementation, interactive discussion sessions, and evaluation through participant feedback. The results showed an increase in participants’ understanding of basic AI concepts, opportunities for AI application in education, and the importance of ethical and productive technology use. In addition, participants responded positively to the delivered materials and considered the activity relevant to current educational needs. Therefore, this webinar was effective in improving participants’ insight into AI as an innovative solution to educational challenges in the digital era.

Strengthening Students’ Knowledge of Food Biotechnology through Local Food Fermentation Practices

Nasaruddin Nasaruddin — 2026-08-23

Students of SMKN 5 Kendari enrolled in the agricultural and fisheries agribusiness program still have limited knowledge and practical skills in food biotechnology, particularly in the application of fermentation techniques for processing local food products. This issue needs to be addressed through practical, hands-on training activities. This community service program aimed to enhance students' knowledge and practical skills in producing lemperi as a fermented food product. The program was implemented through lectures, discussions, and live demonstrations. Participants' knowledge was evaluated using pre-tests and post-tests, each consisting of 10 essay questions. Their practical skills were assessed using a performance assessment observation sheet. The success indicator of the program was the improvement of participants' knowledge and practical skills in producing lemperi according to the correct processing procedures. The results demonstrated that the training improved students' knowledge by 80% and practical skills by 90% in biotechnology-based food processing. After completing the practical sessions, the students were able to understand the production process and independently produce lemperi made from papaya and anchovies as an innovative fermented food product with economic value.