Pemberdayaan Karang Taruna melalui Pemanfaatan Teknologi Destilasi dalam Pengembangan Inovasi Produk Berbasis Sereh di Aceh Tengah

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ABSTRAK

Karang Taruna sebagai organisasi kepemudaan memiliki peran strategis dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan sosial dan ekonomi masyarakat desa. Namun, peran tersebut sering belum optimal karena keterbatasan akses terhadap pengetahuan dan teknologi tepat guna. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk memberdayakan Karang Taruna di Kabupaten Aceh Tengah melalui penerapan teknologi destilasi dalam mengolah tanaman sereh wangi (Cymbopogon nardus) menjadi produk bernilai ekonomi tinggi. Metode pelaksanaan kegiatan meliputi beberapa tahapan, yaitu persiapan, sosialisasi, pelatihan, penerapan teknologi, dan pendampingan. Kegiatan dilakukan secara partisipatif dengan melibatkan anggota Karang Taruna sebagai peserta aktif dalam setiap proses. Pelatihan difokuskan pada pembuatan dan pengoperasian alat destilasi sederhana, teknik produksi minyak atsiri, serta inovasi produk turunan seperti lilin aromaterapi dan Essential Oil. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan peningkatan signifikan pada pengetahuan dan keterampilan peserta dalam hal teknik destilasi dan pengolahan produk berbasis sereh. Penerapan teknologi tepat guna terbukti efektif, mudah dioperasikan, dan mampu menghasilkan minyak sereh dengan kualitas baik. Selain dampak ekonomi berupa munculnya peluang usaha baru, kegiatan ini juga memperkuat peran Karang Taruna sebagai agen pemberdayaan pemuda desa. Program ini berpotensi berkelanjutan melalui pembentukan kelompok usaha bersama dan pemasaran produk secara digital.

Kata Kunci:  Pemberdayaan Masyarakat, Karang Taruna, Teknologi Distilasi, Serai Wangi, Inovasi Produk.

ABSTRACT

Karang Taruna, as a youth social organization, has a strategic role in improving the social and economic welfare of rural communities. However, this potential has not been fully optimized due to limited access to knowledge and appropriate technology. To address this issue, a community service program was carried out to empower Karang Taruna members in Central Aceh through the application of distillation technology to process citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) into high–value economic products.The program was implemented through five stages: preparation, socialization, training, technology implementation, and mentoring. A participatory approach was adopted to involve Karang Taruna members actively in all phases of the activity. The training emphasized the fabrication and operation of simple distillation equipment, essential oil extraction techniques, and product innovation such as aromatherapy candles and essential oils derived from citronella. The program demonstrated a significant increase in participants’ knowledge and technical skills related to distillation and product processing. The application of appropriate distillation technology proved effective, easy to operate, and capable of producing high-quality citronella oil. Furthermore, participants successfully developed innovative derivative products that have strong market potential. The program also fostered entrepreneurial spirit and collaboration among youth members. This community service program successfully enhanced the technical competence and creativity of Karang Taruna members in utilizing local resources. The use of appropriate distillation technology not only improved economic opportunities but also strengthened Karang Taruna’s role as an agent of community empowerment. The initiative is expected to be sustainable through the establishment of local business groups and the digital marketing of citronella-based products.

Keywords: Community Empowerment, Karang Taruna, Distillation Technology, Citronella, Product Innovation.