Malinau, sith.itb.ac.id — The School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH) of Institut Teknologi Bandung conducted a three-day community engagement program in Metut Village, one of Indonesia’s designated 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost areas), from 30 April to 2 May 2026.

The initiative was led by Dr. Ir. Mustika Dewi as Head of the Community Service Program, together with a multidisciplinary team of lecturers and students from SITH ITB. The program introduced a series of appropriate and sustainable technologies aimed at strengthening local livelihoods and enhancing community-based natural resource management.

The SITH ITB team assigned to Metut Village.

The program was officially inaugurated on 30 April 2026 and attended by regional stakeholders and collaborative partners, including Metut Village Head, Kamilus; Head of the Forest Management Unit (KPH) Malinau, Antonius Mangiwa; KKI Warsi facilitator, Tiarma Rezeki Manalu; representatives from the Malinau Selatan Hulu District administration; and officials from the Forestry Office of North Kalimantan.

Supported by the Institute for Research and Industrial Affiliation of ITB (LAPI ITB), in collaboration with KKI Warsi and the North Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Office, the program sought to enhance the community’s capacity to sustainably manage local natural resources while fostering regional economic development based on local potential. “We highly appreciate this initiative and hope the people of Metut Village will actively participate in every stage of the program and apply the knowledge gained to improve collective welfare,” stated the Head of Metut Village during the opening ceremony.

Throughout the program, local residents participated in intensive workshops and hands-on training sessions delivered by experts from SITH ITB and collaborators from Universitas Borneo Tarakan. The training focused on practical technologies tailored to local environmental and socio-economic conditions.

All participants of the community engagement program in Metut Village.

In the field of agarwood cultivation, residents received training on agarwood inoculant production led by Dr. Ir. Mustika Dewi, alongside inoculation injection technology presented by Dr. Anca Awal Sembada. These technologies are expected to improve the economic value of agarwood trees through more efficient and scientifically informed cultivation practices.

Biomass processing technologies also formed a major component of the program. Dr. Ir. Anne Hadiyane and Hadimanah Fikrudien Bahtiar conducted training on pyrolysis techniques to produce biochar and liquid smoke from biomass materials. The application of these products to support plant growth was further elaborated by Dr. Ir. Alfi Rumidatul, enabling participants to understand their practical use in sustainable agriculture.

To further strengthen community self-sufficiency, Dr. Ir. Atmawi Darwis provided training on the production of liquid organic fertilizer and compost. Meanwhile, in support of fisheries-based product diversification and value-added processing, Imra from Universitas Borneo Tarakan delivered workshops on fish-based food processing.

The program received enthusiastic participation from the residents of Metut Village, who actively engaged in every training and discussion session. The participatory approach adopted throughout the activities enabled a more effective transfer of knowledge aligned with local needs and realities.

Training activities conducted in the middle of the agarwood forest

Through this initiative, SITH ITB aims to equip communities in remote regions with practical and sustainable skills that can improve economic resilience while preserving environmental integrity. The collaboration between higher education institutions, government agencies, and civil society organizations highlights the importance of inclusive partnerships in advancing sustainable development in Indonesia’s frontier regions.

Contributor: Anca Awal Sembada, PhD

Editor: Ardhiani Kurnia Hidayanti, PhD