DIVERSIFIKASI OLAHAN BUAH NAGA SEBAGAI STRATEGI PENINGKATAN NILAI TAMBAH KOMODITAS LOKAL MELALUI PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT DESA SUKAMAJU

Abstract

Diversifying dragon fruit into processed products is a strategy to enhance the utilization of local commodities while strengthening community capacity to produce value-added goods. This activity aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of the Sukamaju Village community in processing dragon fruit into various food products and to introduce product development opportunities as part of community economic empowerment. The activity was conducted on July 28, 2026, through presentations, demonstrations, hands-on practice, discussions, mentoring, and evaluation. Twenty participants took part, representing farmer groups, the Youth Organization (Karang Taruna), village government and officials, university students, and the general public. The results showed that participants successfully produced three processed items: dragon fruit chips, *dodol* (traditional fruit paste/confection), and dragon fruit syrup. An evaluation of understanding revealed an increase in the average score from 59.0 before the activity to 85.5 after, representing a 26.5-point rise and a normalized gain score of 0.65 (categorized as medium). Participants also gained practical processing experience and foundational knowledge regarding product development covering packaging, labeling, branding, business management, and marketing. This activity demonstrates that a participatory, practice-based approach can serve as an initial step toward downstreaming dragon fruit potential through community capacity building and product diversification. Future activities should focus on quality standardization, packaging, brand strengthening, and marketing development to ensure the sustainable growth of these products.