From Organic Waste to Catfish Feed: Tech Innovation Boosts Food Security and Community Economy

Mosque courtyards are no longer just open spaces for worship. Through the application of appropriate technology, limited land can now be transformed into food production centres and new economic sources for the community. Using a circular economy concept that integrates fish cultivation, organic waste processing, and information digitalisation, communities are encouraged to build sustainable self-reliance. This innovation was realised through a collaboration between the Electrical Engineering department of Universitas Mercu Buana (UMB) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) in an international community service activity at the Jami Himawan At-Taubah Mosque in Srengseng, Jakarta. Carrying the theme ‘Economic Independence of the Jami Himawan At-Taubah Mosque Congregation Through Information Digitalisation, Organic Waste Processing, and Smart Aquaculture’, the programme delivers applicable and easy-to-implement technological solutions. The programme integrates three appropriate technologies into one productive ecosystem. First, a smart aquaculture system based on catfish cultivation designed to remain productive despite using limited land. Second, an organic waste processing installation using black soldier fly (maggot) cultivation capable of converting household waste into a high-protein feed source. Third, a mosque digital information system that displays prayer times and the call to prayer schedule via the internet and television, allowing worshippers to access worship information more effectively. These three innovations are interconnected within a circular economy concept. Household organic waste is used as a medium for maggot cultivation, and the harvested maggots are then used as catfish feed. This pattern can reduce the operational costs of fish farming and decrease the volume of organic waste ending up in landfills. UMB Rector and Electrical Engineering lecturer Prof Andi Adriansyah stated that this cross-country collaboration is a tangible implementation of the Tridharma of Higher Education, extending beyond mere academic activity. ‘Science should not be exclusive to the laboratory but must be translated into an empowerment instrument that provides real benefits to society. We hope this programme will be the beginning of measurable, sustainable economic independence and improve the welfare of the congregation,’ he said on Thursday (25/6/2026). According to Andi, the involvement of lecturers from undergraduate to doctoral levels demonstrates that multidisciplinary collaboration can produce relevant solutions to social and economic issues. This approach also accelerates the downstreaming of research results so they can be directly utilised by the community. He expressed hope that through collaboration between Indonesian and Malaysian academics, this programme would become a model for technology-based community empowerment that can be replicated in various regions. ‘By utilising local potential, simple yet integrated innovations can provide real solutions for food security, environmental management, and strengthening the community economy,’ he concluded. A representative from UTHM’s Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Abdul Hamid, assessed that this international cooperation is an example of how global knowledge transfer can be adapted to local community needs. He explained that environmental technology and engineering not only function to increase efficiency but can also strengthen the food supply chain, support sustainable biomass management, and create economic and ecological impacts simultaneously. A positive response came from the Head of the Jami Himawan At-Taubah Mosque Prosperity Council, Ustaz Romlih. He appreciated the scientific support and productive facilities provided to the congregation. According to him, the mosque management is committed to managing the catfish and maggot cultivation installations sustainably so that the harvest can become an independent funding source for mosque operations and improve the welfare of the community in Srengseng sub-district.