Universitas PGRI Sumatera Barat Provides Training on Basic Marine Food Processing Products
Through the Impact Student Programme, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology has mobilised 10,000 students to provide direct support for disaster recovery efforts in Sumatra, carrying out community empowerment activities in disaster-affected locations in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. In this regard, Universitas PGRI Sumatera Barat was selected as one of the implementing higher education institutions, with four proposals out of 203 proposals funded by the Ministry.
According to Mareta Kemala Sari, Head of the Team for the Community Economic Resilience Enhancement Support Programme for Marine Food Product Processing, this activity represents a collaborative effort between various student organisations aimed at strengthening capacity and promoting independence in the post-disaster period. The team comprises the Entrepreneurship Student Association working in collaboration with the Economics Education, Accounting Education, and Informatics Education Student Associations, as well as the Investment Gallery Community of the Indonesia Stock Exchange Faculty of Economics and Business.
Mareta Kemala Sari, also an Entrepreneurship Lecturer at Universitas PGRI Sumatera Barat, stated that the activity targets supporting a group of women from fishing families involved in food processing and PKK members from Pasie Nan Tigo Village, Padang City, West Sumatra to develop more competitive processed food products.
“The approach taken by our students is to conduct area mapping to identify the potential of the region. From the mapping results, it was found that this area is rich in marine resources including squid, prawns, tuna, anchovies, and baledang from fishing catches, whilst in food processing fishing, this potential is processed into palai bada products,” Mareta explained.
This is a product of local wisdom based on anchovies with various regional spices. Outside West Sumatra, palai bada is known as “pepes ikan” (fish parcels).
The method of preparing palai bada involves mixing wet anchovies with spices such as grated coconut and other seasonings including shallots, candlenuts, red chilli, garlic, turmeric leaf, turmeric, and salt. Once all ingredients are ready, they are mixed together, wrapped in banana leaves, and then grilled over hot coals.
Palai bada is a perishable dish with a shelf life of only two days, so students provided education on using a special vacuum sealer for food and freezer storage to extend the product’s longevity. “Support for this equipment and technology was provided through the Impact Student Programme funding,” Mareta explained.
The team also involved marine food processing experts from the Fisheries and Marine Affairs Office. “Together with Mrs Camellia from the Fisheries and Marine Affairs Office, we introduced an innovation in dry palai bada, which has a longer shelf life to target market expansion,” Mareta added.
Mareta noted that dry palai bada is ready to be sent outside West Sumatra with aluminium foil packaging. However, without changing the form of fresh palai bada, it is supported by vacuum sealer packaging and freezer storage.