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Tag: Universitas Sumatera Utara

Communication FISIP USU Organizes Another Training to Empower Women of Medan City

Posted on by Maryam Mazaya

The Communication Science Study Program of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) again organized a dedication program. This time dedicated to empowering urban women. Led by the head of the Communication Science Study Program, Mrs. Dra. Mazdalifah M.Si., Ph.D., this dedication targeted female traditional herbal medicine (jamu) sellers, the majority of whom originate from Java and now reside in Medan City.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Medan City, there exists a group of female jamu sellers who lead lives full of dedication. They not only strive to supplement their family incomes but also inherit family traditions in making and selling jamu, a traditional beverage rich in health benefits. The majority of them hail from Java, choosing to migrate to Medan City to improve the economic status of their families.

However, in 1998, Indonesia was hit by an economic crisis that saw a sharp increase in prices of essential commodities, including those needed to produce jamu. This posed a significant burden for the female jamu sellers, who were forced to face even greater economic difficulties. In response to this issue, Mrs. Dra. Mazdalifah M.Si., Ph.D., a communication lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at USU, was moved to assist them by providing business capital through the Medan Urban Women’s Foundation, Yayasan Perkotaan Perempuan Kota Medan (YP2M), which she leads. This collaboration not only offered financial assistance but also empowered these women economically and socially.

Every year, the female jamu sellers regularly receive business capital assistance from YP2M. Mazdalifah and her team, supported by students as field assistants, periodically meet with them. These meetings serve not only as a platform for providing assistance but also as an opportunity to strengthen their skills and knowledge. During each monthly meeting, they are given counseling on business management, health, religious education, politics, and other relevant topics.

On October 13, 2024, a series of empowerment activities were conducted by channeling business capital assistance to a group of female jamu sellers on Halat Street, Medan City. With 12 recipients in total, each received business capital assistance amounting to 2 million Indonesian Rupiah. This was done as part of a sustainable effort to support and develop their jamu businesses.

In addition to providing financial assistance, Mazdalifah also actively conducts political participation counseling for these women, considering the upcoming General Election on February 14, 2024. Through this counseling, they are given an understanding of the importance of voting wisely, understanding candidate track records, and avoiding the spread of fake news. This aims to increase their political awareness and active participation in the democratic process.

The collaboration between YP2M and the female jamu sellers has been ongoing for 24 years, and both parties are deeply grateful for this. As the chairperson of YP2M, Mazdalifah feels proud to continue accompanying them on this long jouey. Meanwhile, the female jamu sellers feel supported and motivated to continue developing their businesses to remain sustainable and independent.

With ongoing collaboration and continuous support, the hope of seeing these women develop into intelligent and independent individuals in various fields becomes increasingly achievable. This is a tangible example of how empowering urban women can create a wide-ranging positive impact on society.

#CommunicationFISIPUSU #UniversitasSumateraUtara #USU #FISIPUSU

Farming Smarter, Not Harder: USU Alumni’s Start-Up Project for Smart Farming Equipment

Posted on by Editorial Team

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 engendered major technological changes in Indonesia’s agriculture to boost production yields by prioritizing effectiveness and efficiency in various fields that support the sector. This incentivizes various innovations for agricultural products: new tools, new processing techniques, and new management procedures.

Some fresh graduates of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), Dwi Budi Prasetyo, Rizki Ari Mihalza, Intan Dewani, and Rico Wardana, teamed up to brainstorm a contribution to this developing urgency. All three are members of a start-up called Mandike Instruments, which specializes in technology and education.

The team came up with a piece of innovative equipment that is projected to increase work efficiency for farmers called Smart Farming. The equipment is designed to be portable and easily assembled, with sensor nodes and gateways as well as unique applications that are continuously refined and updated.

According to Dwi Budi Prasetyo, CEO of Mandike Instruments, Smart Farming monitors and determines the degree of acidity, temperature, rainfall, humidity, and weather conditions in an area that will be used for agriculture.
“Knowing these can aid farmers in measuring the most efficient amount of fertilizers for agricultural activities, as excessive fertilizers can damage the nutrients in the agricultural land. In addition, knowing the soil fertility level and determining the types of plants suitable for development will also increase the efficiency of farmers’ expenditures,” Dwi said.

Dwi stated that the accompanying application for Smart Farming is currently at the testing and refinement stage.

“We want this tool to be really effective in helping farmers. Thus, the trials cannot be done in one or two times. We must conduct it many times to obtain the right result,” he added.

Regarding whether Smart Farming will be sold in limited quantities or mass-produced, Dwi admits that he has yet to decide because it will be discussed with the commissioners of CV Mandike. In addition to assessing prices, consumer capabilities and market acceptance, which farmers dominate, will influence their start-up’s capability.

Dwi emphasized that they are considering developing and manufacturing delicately, as the equipment was intended to help farmers without burdening them with additional costs. Increasing the amount of capital farmers need will affect the selling price of their agricultural products. They are currently planning a collaborative trial run for the equipment with government and private stakeholders.

The team hopes to strengthen the collaboration between CV Mandike and USU agricultural alumni to engineer and innovate other tools for use in the farming sector. Being holders of degrees in Electrical Engineering from USU, the team is optimistic that their collaboration can benefit each other to increase the research and development output, manufacture, and market and publicity outreach with the academic institution.

USU Advances Technology Adaptation in Rural Areas

Posted on by Fotarisman Zaluchu

The Public Administration Program (Prodi IAP) of the Faculty of Social Science and Political Sciences (FISIP) at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) is actively working to enhance technological adaptation in rural areas. Over the past three years, the Public Administration Program has collected various data, which has been organized into village profiles, village sketches, and village videos. The results of these efforts have been compiled into a village website. The creation on the village website is a progressive step to prepare villages for current technological advancements. In Indonesia, with over 80 thousand villages, only a few have their own websites. USU presence will accelerate rural development, especially in areas within USU reach, where the university has the capability to build websites.

The launch of the village website and training on its utilization took place in in Tanjung Putus Village, Langkat Regency, Indonesia.

Higher education, in this case, the Public Administration Program, plays a strategic role in advancing villages or village governments. Faculty members and students actively engage in solving issues within the village. The launch of this website is one concrete manifestation of the Universitas Sumatera Utara responsibility to the surrounding community, as said by Dra. Februati Trimurni, M.Si, Ph.D. Over three years, the IAP Program regularly dispatched students for field activities, supported by expert faculty members. These activities were conducted within the framework of research and community service, formally part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between USU and Langkat Regency.

Training for creating the village website involved instructing village officials to proficiently input data into the website. Additionally, village activities, documented through videos or photos, were trained to be uploaded to the website. Even village regulations were displayed on the website for easy dissemination to all villagers. Training participants were also equipped with skills for independently managing the website. The village website will facilitate access to important information and data, simultaneously promoting the village on a broader stage.

The Head of the IAP Program added that Indonesia is currently promoting rural development, with state funds allocated to empower villages, especially in infrastructure. However, USU provides soft skills intervention, aiming to incorporate information technology into villages for broader benefits to the community. She also emphasize that USU plays an important role so that national government policies can be implemented more quickly and effectively. USU plan to train other villages to have similar advantages, enabling them to introduce themselves globally because they have their own websites. This is how USU contributes to realizing a global village for the benefit of rural communities and the global progress of humanity.

USU Lecturer Concerned on the Extinction of Tapanuli Orangutan

Posted on by Editorial Team

Onrizal, S.Hut, M.Si., Ph.D., a Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara lecturer, was born and raised in Tapanuli, North Sumatra. The Tapanuli region is home to a particular species of orangutan, the Pongo tapanuliensis, which Onrizal still remembers was mentioned in local folklore as the ‘short man’ of the forest, who disappeared from the forest in the 1970s. The story remains relevant to the current reality about the orangutans in Tapanuli: these creatures have long vanished from the region’s forest.

Working together with Erik Meijaard, an assistant professor on the conversation from the University of Kent, UK, Onrizal published their study titled “The historical range and drivers of decline of the Tapanuli orangutan,” published in a Q1 Scopus-indexed journal PLOS ONE. The team scoured historical records for references to the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). This species is the newest orangutan and is listed as the most endangered great ape in the world. The Tapanuli orangutan faces a much greater risk of extinction than previously thought.

Today, the Tapanuli orangutan is estimated to occupy only 2.5% of their historical habitat, and the threat of extinction is linked to habitat loss and hunting. This threat persists today and is exacerbated by infrastructure development and forest conversion in the last habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan in North Sumatra. According to the researchers, with habitat shrinking and hunting, the extinction of the Tapanuli orangutan is inevitable.

As stated in the study, less than 800 individual Tapanuli orangutans live in the Batang Toru forest, North Sumatra. The remaining habitat is estimated to cover only 2.5% of the range in which they lived about 130 years ago when researchers discovered them. That number shrank from nearly 41,000 km2 in the 1890s, to just 1,000 km2 in 2016.

To arrive at these figures, the researchers referred to colonial-era literature, such as newspapers, journals, books, and museum records, from the early 1800s to 2019 by using location-specific keywords such as “Sumatra”, “Batang Toeroe,” and “Tapanoeli,” with Dutch spelling then cross-referenced them with terms that specifically refer to orangutans used commonly in historical literature.

The researchers found that the Tapanuli orangutan historically inhabited a much wider area at a lower altitude than the Batang Toru mountain forest they occupy today. Much of this historical habitat was lost in the 1950s to smallholder agriculture before industrial-scale plantation development in Sumatra emerged in the 1970s. The combination of historical fragmentation of forest habitat and unsustainable hunting is likely to push them from the lowland forest areas, where they used to live, to the upland forests of the Batang Toru ecosystem.

The researchers think that it is likely that Pongo tapanuliensis was hunted to extinction in an increasingly fragmented part of its former home range. They survive in the remote and rocky Batang Toru Mountains which may have protected orangutans from hunting. These findings show that the Tapanuli orangutan is not a species specifically adapted to live in the highlands as some scientists claim.

Map of Sumatra Island showing the current distribution of Pongo tapanuliensis and Pongo abelii, as well as the main areas mentioned in the study. This finding raises concerns over the survival of the Tapanuli orangutan. It is estimated that fewer than 800 of these orangutans live in the Batang Toru forest, divided among three connected subpopulations.

The Tapanuli orangutan species face conflicting threats of hunting and killing, as well as habitat loss due to agriculture and plantations. New threats have also emerged, namely infrastructure development and the construction of hydropower roads, which have caused fragmentation of the remaining habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan.

Conservation experts say the most severe threat currently comes from the Batang Toru hydroelectric power plant. The construction of this hydropower plant is considered to endanger the connectivity between orangutan subpopulations in the west, east, and south. This fragmentation would cut the diversity of the orangutan gene pool dramatically, leading to inbreeding, disease, and, eventually, each subpopulation to extinction.

The researchers calculated that more than one percent of adult orangutans disappear from the wild per year, either being killed, translocated, or captured. With that data, extinction is inevitable, regardless of the initial population size.

Without further rescue efforts, the researchers estimated that this species could become extinct in the next few generations. The ongoing fragmentation of the Batang Toru forest only exacerbates this risk. Onrizal called on all stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, scientists, donors, local community representatives, and industry, to develop concrete action plans as soon as possible for the survival of this species.

Peeling the Benefits: USU Professor Works on Shrimp Shells for External Care Products

Posted on by Editorial Team

Shrimp shells are often considered waste, but in the hands of Harry Agusnar, shrimp shells can be processed into chitosan compounds with many practical applications.

Professor Dr. Harry Agusnar, MSc, M.Phil, of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), was interested in researching and processing chitosan waste since 1987 when he pursued his master’s degree at the National University of Malaysia. While researching aromatic chemicals, he found that chitosan has medicinal potential for human use.

He worked with aromatic chemical compounds to separate compounds from C6 – C10 with chitosan from shrimp shells as the main ingredient. He came up with hand body lotion, hand sanitizer, paper soap, and recently, a chitosan face serum with anti-aging claims.

Initially, Harry’s family was skeptical about the potential of shrimp shells, but after application, the researched products caught their attention.

According to Harry, the process of producing chitosan is relatively simple. He started by deshelling shrimps and then drying or soaking the fresh shells in alkaline water to eliminate the odor. The shells are not cooked or boiled because these can damage the compounds.

Harry has received positive responses for his products, which were widely used by university staff working offline during the COVID-19 pandemic, among them the Kitosan Hand Sanitizer and Chitosan Paper Soap products and his breakthrough alcohol-free chitosan-based hand sanitizer.

At the moment, Harry is excited to seek a distribution company so his products can be sold to the public. He is also working on a set of haircare products made from chitosan: hair tonic, shampoo, and conditioner, in addition to a chitosan fiber/yarn.

He hopes that his products, labeled with USU branding, can popularize the university as a hub of scientific creativity, offering a wide range of accessible, affordable care products to the public and emphasizing the university’s contribution to industry in society’s awareness.

USU Holds Batik Jumputan Workshop for Empowering Women

Posted on by Maryam Mazaya

Batik is an Indonesian cultural heritage confirmed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2019. Previously, then Government of Indonesia issued Presidential Decree No. 3 of 2009, designating October 2 as National Batik Day to increase public awareness of efforts to protect and develop Indonesian batik.

As a cultural heritage, batik has undergone a centuries-long process and has become deeply ingrained in the culture spread throughout Indonesia. Each region in Indonesia boasts its distinctive batik characteristics with beautiful symbols. One type of batik is jumputan batik, often referred to as batik ikat. This batik originated in Jogjakarta, Solo, Palembang, Kalimantan, Bali, and Sulawesi, each showcasing distinct characteristics according to their respective local areas.

To further the growth of jumputan batik, especially in North Sumatra, Universitas Sumatra Utara (USU) is committed to developing jumputan batik, making it known to the community, and preserving it as a valuable heritage for humankind. With such aspirations, several lecturers from Universitas Sumatera Utara took the initiative to engage in community service with the theme of batik jumputan.

A lecturer from this university, consisting of faculty members from the Communication Science, Sociology, and Public Health study programs, actively participates in conducting jumputan batik workshops for women affiliated with the Mutiara Langit Biru Creative House in Medan. This program was carried out on September 23, 2023, as part of celebrating National Batik Day.

Women, who have been traditionally associated with homemaking, are empowered to become creative and efficient while preserving the tradition of jumputan batik.

“Mothers and teenagers recruited for training will acquire the skills to produce jumputan batik, which can be used to supplement the family income,” stated Mazdalifah, a USU lecturer and service team member.

The workshop focused on the ikat technique to create batik using marbles and beads in the tying and dipping methods. Participants crafted their batik motifs by hand, eschewing the use of machines, resulting in unique handmade motifs for each batik produced.

“At present, sourcing materials for batik presents a challenge. We acquire all materials from outside Medan, specifically from Pekalongan, Jogja, and Solo. However, with online sales, these materials are now more accessible,” commented Linda Elida, USU lecturer and Activity Coordinator.

The workshop provided foundational training in essential competencies, as batik-making entails complexity. Participants were still in the learning phase, acquiring skills in creating motifs by tying and understanding the entire process from motif creation, tying, mordanting, coloring, and drying.

Linda Elida, the activity’s coordinator, mentioned plans to organize participants intorncooperative business units. These cooperatives will serve as forums for participants to continue honing their skills and purchasing raw materials for batik-making. Furthermore, the cooperatives will assist those needing business capital, as participants must invest in this skill to generate income.

Upon completing the training, participants took home the batik cloth they had created during the sessions. This activity was intended to instill pride in their work. USU will continue to encourage activities that preserve Indonesian culture while supporting the community’s income, particularly women’s.

#FISIPUSU #USU #UniversitasSumateraUtara #CommunicationScienceUSU #SociologyUSU #PublicHealthUSU

Fostering Sustainability: The Potentials of Eco Printing Initiatives for Community Economy and Creativity

Posted on by Editorial Team

Eco printing, or botanical printing, is a natural dyeing technique utilizing the natural pigments in leaves, flowers, and other plant parts to transfer their patterns and designs on fabric or paper. Handmade without synthetic dyes, eco-printed works are also artistically unique compared to mass-produced crafts because no two works are identical. Many crafters and artists appreciate the organic and natural aesthetic achieved through eco-printing because it preserves the color and shape of the plants that serve as motifs.

Dr. Iwan Risnasari S.Hut., M.Si., a lecturer from the Faculty of Forestry at the Universitas Sumatera Utara, delved into the world of eco-print after observing the abundant resources in urban areas that could be used as raw materials for eco-printing.

Almost every day since the conception of her business in 2019, Dr. Iwan, or Sari as she prefers to be called, diligently produces eco-printed items such as hijabs, pashminas, tunics, shirts, and other clothing products, in addition to household items and accessories like glasses, book covers, keychains, shoes, and even bags. She employs several assistants who crafted the products manually without the aid of sophisticated equipment.

The eco-printing process begins with the search for raw materials. Sari prefers natural fibers over synthetic fabrics because their texture binds color more effectively. Once cleaned, the fabric enters the mordanting stage, which binds the dye and opens the fabric’s pores for even coloring later on. Leaves or other plant parts used as motifs are applied to the fabric by tightly rolling them up within a layer of cloth. The roll of fabric is later steamed and then air dried for one to two weeks, avoiding direct sunlight to prevent damage to the applied motifs and coloring.

Sari used various plants and parts with attractive colors and motifs for her eco-printing products, such as teak, sappanwood, and gambier. She promotes the sustainability aspect of the business; the manufacturer uses minimal waste and low chemical usage and helps improve the community’s economy as the process can be carried out in household industries. Abundant raw materials make it easy for communities to develop Eco-printing.

Along with her colleagues Arif Nuryawan, S.Hut, M.Si, Ph.D, the Chair of the USU Faculty of Forestry’s Department of Forest Product Technology, and Dr. Bejo Slamet, S.Hut, M.Si, Sari has promoted her eco-print idea through a series of community service activities in Pangkalan Susu and Lubuk Kertang in the Langkat Regency, as well as Sei Glugur in Deli Serdang Regency. She and her team encourage the communities in these rural areas to explore the rich natural resources that can be repurposed fruitfully for a green economy.

With her team, Sari herself has also established an eco-print business unit called Nauli Eco-print. The unit has conducted numerous eco-print training sessions for interested communities, most recently for refugees under the UN-based International Organization for Migration (IOM. Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan refugees were trained to produce Eco-print products from June 21 to 25, 2021.

Sari is determined to pursue further research in forest product utilization for eco-print by continually testing various plants that could be used as raw materials for eco-print manufacturing. She believes her efforts can contribute to Sustainable Development Goals by educating society on the potential of environmentally friendly ventures for livelihood and communal creativity.

Preparing Gen Z as First-Time Voters in Indonesia

Posted on by Anastasya Hasugian

2024 is a political year in Indonesia. General elections will be held in February 2024. Reporting from the kpu.go.id website, there are 204.8 million voters in the KPU data who are entitled to vote in 2024.

The data already includes the number of gen Z which is included in the voter data as a beginner voter. Considering this, Tular Nalar 3.0 collaborated with Faculty of Social and Political Science(FISIP) University of Sumatera Utara (USU) to organize a Sekolah Kebangsaan that provides direction for all novice voters on how to vote, where to get accurate and credible information about elections, and who can vote according to laws and regulations.

The event was held at FISIP USU hall which was attended by the Dean of FISIP USU, Dr. Hatta Ridho,S.Sos., MSP, Communication Science Lecturer Moulita, S.Sos., M.A., and Yovita Sabarina Sitepu, S.Sos., M.Si. as the chief executive. This activity was accompanied by 10 facilitators, namely Rachel, Yasmin, Fadli, Anastasya, Adi,rnDavid, Putri, Nasha, Kesya, and Daniel Adiw.

Beginner voters seemed very enthusiastic about participating in this event, this can be seen from the number of participants who exceeded the committee’s target of 130 participants(target 100 participants).

Through this activity, Yovita as the PIC hopes that after this Tunar Nalar (TN) activity, hopefully the participants can transmit the knowledge they have gained regarding hoax sensing to their friends, relatives, and family. They can detect whether information received on social media is a hoax or not. In addition, because this is in the context of the election, so with this activity the spread of hoaxes during the election can be reduced. And Gen Z also actively participates in the democratic party, both by exercising their voting rights and maintaining a democratic climate that has minimal political hoaxes.

Klub Jantung Remaja (KJR) North Sumatra: Providing Solutions to Adolescent Heart Health Issues

Posted on by Eunola Publisher

Adolescence is a critical stage in life. Teenagers usually explore new experiences during this stage and confront the difficulty of participating in rigorous activities without constraints. This is a test phase for everything that will help them in the future, including their career and health.

However, health difficulties are frequently an impediment for teenagers. Many people believe that life at this stage is a time of great freedom. They ignore one critical issue: health concerns. Improving lifestyles is an excellent strategy to alleviate teenagers’ existing problems. This is because adolescence is a valuable time for adolescents in good bodily and psychological health.

The Klub Jantung Remaja (KJR) was founded to promote the awareness of Indonesian youth about healthy living, notably heart and vascular disorders, through various educational and counseling programs. KJR is a branch of the Indonesian Heart Foundation that focuses on healthy living for teenagers.

Nurhasanah, or Hasanah, is the active coordinator of North Sumatra’s Klub Jantung Remaja (KJR). Nurhasanah, also known as Hasanah, has been involved in a variety of activities since she was in high school. She was hired as the Coordinator of KJR North Sumatra after graduating from North Sumatra University (USU).

“The Healthy Heart Exercise is a regular program at KJR North Sumatra.” This exercise is open to the public and occurs four times a week on open fields, such as Ahmad Yani Park on Tuesdays, Telkom on Thursdays and Saturdays, and PTPN 4 on Sundays, beginning at 7:00 a.m. KJR is active in one of the programs of the Indonesian Heart Foundation (YJI). So, every time the Healthy Heart Exercise is held, anybody exercising nearby, whether teenagers or adults, can participate,” Hasanah stated in an interview.

Aside from healthy exercise, KJR also offers educational lectures to its members every month. “Young people still in high school or college are welcome to join KJR.” You will receive many knowledge and perks, such as educational lectures. “As a result, each member will be equipped with knowledge on how to care for the heart, good foods to consume, symptoms of heart disease and how to handle them, and other heart-related education,” Hasanah explained. Finally, Hasanah voiced her hope: “Never overlook heart health.” You will feel the impact on your body in the future if you start with a little more like joining a health community.

USU Research Collaboration on Supplement for Stunting Reduction

Posted on by Editorial Team

Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), in collaboration with Bina Nusantara University (Binus) and the Government of Serdang Bedagai (Sergai) Regency, North Sumatra, and PT Mega Medica Pharmaceuticals (MMP LLC), has conducted research on a supplement targeted to reduce stunting in the regency that has successfully reduced the stunting rate by up to 38%. The 6-month research collaboration, involving 20 community health centers, six sub-districts, and 243 villages in Serdang Bedagai Regency, demonstrated that the syrup containing a combination of snakehead fish, andrographis paniculata, and turmeric extracts from MMP LLC has proven effective in reducing stunting.

The Head of the Research Team, Prof. Bens Pardamean, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., stated in the research report on the prevalence of stunting in the regency that the study was conducted through an Integrated Database System. Sergai Regency is currently implementing a stunting intervention program involving distributing products from MMP LLC, providing supplementary food, and combining both. Bens Pardamean mentioned that the Stunting DB application facilitated the recording, storage, and access of data for analyzing the impact of the program or intervention on the growth and development of stunted toddlers.

This information was presented during the presentation of stunting research results at the Reflection on Stunting Innovation event with Bina Nusantara University. The event was attended by the Regent of Sergai, H. Darma Wijaya, several regional leaders, the Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency, Dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Sp. OG (K), and other distinguished figures such as Prof. Dr. dr. Sarma Nursani Lumban Raja, Sp.OG (K) and Dr. rer dr. M. Ichwan, M.Sc, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine, USU, Prof. Dr. dr. Aldy Safruddin Rambe, Sp.S (K), Imam Bagus Sumantri, S.Farm, M.Si. Apt, the Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, USU, Khairunnisa, S.Si., M.Pharm, Ph.D and the Director of MMP LLC, Sutristo.

Previously, the stunting rate in Serdang Bedagai reached 483 toddlers. After the validation process in two stages, involving removing redundant data, the final validation isolated 219 toddlers from 17 community health centers. After six months of research, the characteristics of the research participants showed improvements in height growth, weight gain, appetite, and a reduction in the frequency of fever or diarrhea experienced by the toddlers. Overall, Bens Pardamean stated that all three intervention programs had a significant impact, with the Channafit supplementation showing particularly positive results compared to the other two programs. This was evidenced by a significant increase in anthropometric measurements of 8.45 cm and 2.80 kg.

Dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency, commended the stunting research involving academia, government, the community, and the industry. He believes that such programs can assist the central government in accelerating the reduction of stunting rates nationally.

Meanwhile, Sutristo from MMP LLC stated that the company focuses on developing products for the health of mothers and children sourced from natural ingredients in Indonesia, particularly from snakehead fish (channa striata). Preclinical trials of the combination of snakehead fish, turmeric, andrographis paniculata, and honey extracts in syrup form to prevent stunting were also conducted by the Faculty of Pharmacy at USU which came up with the ideal dosage according to body weight for the supplement. The developed products are available for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children.

Snakehead fish (channa striata) is a local natural resource with nutritional potential, containing a complete set of essential amino acids closely resembling those needed by the body, thus aiding in the prevention of malnutrition. Meanwhile, turmeric, andrographis paniculata, and honey contain compounds that can increase appetite.
Based on the available data, the research team suggests that this combination of ingredients holds promise as an approach for use in stunting intervention cases, considering the abundance of the base ingredients, their low production cost, and the affordability of the resulting syrup.