Palopo. The Faculty of Forestry, Hasanuddin University (Unhas) conducted entrepreneurship benchmarking in several business and industrial worlds (DU/DI) in Palopo City, namely the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative and Trigona Queeny Original Honey. The activity took place starting at 09.00 WITA in Palopo City, Tuesday (29/11/2022).
The Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative is an institution that manages rattan into several types of products. This institution is under the auspices of the Rongkong Forest Management Unit (KPH Rongkong) of Palopo City. Meanwhile Trigona Queeny Original Honey is a business that operates in the cultivation and processing of honey bees, this business was founded and managed by alumni of the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas.
The Unhas Faculty of Forestry entrepreneurship benchmarking group first visited the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative. The group’s arrival was welcomed by the Chairman of the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative and the Chairman of KPH Rongkong, A. Baso Muchtar, S.Hut., M.Si. accompanied by Hasyim, S.Hut. who is an alumni of the Faculty of Forestry, Hasanuddin University.
Starting the activity, the Deputy Dean for Partnership, Research and Innovation, Faculty of Forestry Unhas (Dr. Ir. Astuti, S.Hut., M.Sc., IPU.) expressed his thanks to the Chair of the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative as well as the Chair of KPH Rongkong and his staff for welcoming his arrival with his entourage.
“Thank you to Mr. A. Baso Muchtar for welcoming me and my entourage well. The purpose of our coming here is to find out and learn about the rattan processing process,” explained Astuti.
Dr. Astuti said that another aim of this activity was to directly introduce the world of business and industry to students at the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas, especially students who passed the Student Entrepreneurship Program (PMW), as well as broadening students’ insight regarding this matter.
On the same occasion, A. Baso Muchtar, S.Hut., M.Si. (Chairman of the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative and Chairman of KPH Rongkong) expressed his thanks for this visit and he conveyed several things related to the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative and the rattan processing process.
“The Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative was founded to improve the welfare of the community, as well as contribute to state income because we give most of the profits from this cooperative to the community and the state,” explained A. Baso Muchtar.
A. Baso Muchtar further explained that the rattan processing process begins with the frying stage, then drying and finally making the product. Good rattan is rattan that is fried immediately after harvesting because this makes the quality of the rattan better.
“Efforts made to ensure that rattan supplies remain are encouraging people to bring 10 rattan seeds to plant,” explained A. Baso Muchtar.
After leaving the Wanua Sylva Mandiri Cooperative Office, the activity then continued by visiting the business started by one of the Alumni of the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas, Wiwi Oktaviani, S.Hut., M.Hut. namely Trigona Queeny Original Honey. The arrival of the entrepreneurial benchmarking group was welcomed and well received.
On this occasion, Wiwi Oktaviani explained how to cultivate trigona honey bees and the processing process, and invited the entrepreneurial benchmarking group to see firsthand the process of extracting honey from beehives.
Deputy Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Faculty of Forestry, Unhas, Syahidah, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D. and several lecturers also accompanied this entrepreneurial benchmarking activity.
