Outreach and Training on Mangrove Flour Processing with the Use of Tray Dryer Tools for the Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden Community

The Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden, a valuable natural tourist destination, offers a unique experience along the northern coast of Java Island. Spanning 27 hectares, this botanical garden hosts 57 varieties of mangroves. Although managed by the Surabaya city government and BRIN, local community participation is crucial for the sustainability of the mangrove forest. The community engages in various conservation and management activities, as well as in empowering initiatives to process mangrove-derived products. Mangrove fruits are rich in nutrients and bioactive components, with Sonneratia caseolaris and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza being the most commonly utilized by farmers in the Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden due to their non-toxic and edible nature. To enhance the value of these mangrove fruits, the local community has been processing them into syrup, with the leftover pulp being processed into flour for use in food products. However, this mangrove flour lacks functional value due to inadequate processing technology. Recognizing this issue, a community service team, in coordination with the garden's management, conducted outreach and training on mangrove flour production using a tray dryer at the Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden. The training aimed to teach proper processing methods and introduce technology, such as the design of drying equipment, to produce higher-quality mangrove flour. The approach to enhancing the skills of the local community involved observation, socialization, flour processing training with a tray dryer, and program monitoring and evaluation. The training successfully improved participants' knowledge and skills in using modern drying technology and motivated the community to increase mangrove flour production. Consequently, this method of mangrove flour processing has the potential to support food sustainability and empower the local economy in the Surabaya Mangrove Botanical Garden area.