Strengthening the Mandiri Consumer Cooperative through Grade C Fish Valorization: A Community Empowerment Program for Fermented Feed Production in Belitung, Indonesia

The Consumer Cooperative Usaha Mandiri in Tanjung Binga Village, Belitung Regency, encounters challenges in valorizing underutilized grade C fish catches, while local livestock farmers remain reliant on relatively expensive commercial feed sourced externally. This community engagement initiative sought to enhance cooperative capacity by converting low-value fish resources into fermented feed ingredients within a circular economy framework. Conducted over eight months, the program utilized a participatory approach that included needs assessment, community engagement, technical training, technology transfer, production trials, and ongoing institutional mentoring. The initiative's unique contribution is the integration of fish boiling, rice bran addition, brown sugar and EM4 supplementation, anaerobic fermentation, and product development into a cooperative-based fish valorization model. The intervention enabled the transformation of underutilized fish resources into value-added feed products and strengthened members' technical skills and business management practices, particularly in financial record-keeping, production planning, and market development. Laboratory analysis indicated an energy content of 392 kcal, protein content of 73.97 g, fat content of 8.97 g, and carbohydrate content of 3.93 g per 100 g. This initiative provides a foundation for reinforcing local value chains that connect fisheries, cooperatives, and livestock production. Future initiatives should focus on formulation standardization, nutritional validation, feed safety assessment, economic feasibility, and regulatory compliance to ensure product quality and long-term business sustainability.