The Community Service Program (KKN) at Diponegoro University (UNDIP) officially commenced on May 6, 2025, and will run for 45 days, concluding on June 21, 2025.
The community service program is located in Gedawang Village, Banyumanik District, Semarang City, Central Java. This area covers 232.764 hectares and is located at an altitude of 297.4 meters above sea level.
Gedawang Village has a population of 10,645, with 3,177 households, in 10 RW and 70 RT. The majority of its workers are employed in the private sector, civil service, or are self-employed.
The Diponegoro University’s Science and Technology Community Service Grant for Mentored Villages (IDBU), chaired by Dr. Sukarjo Waluyo, S.S., M.Hum., and Drs. M. Hermintoyo, M.Pd., includes this KKN program.
Both of them teach in the Indonesian Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. This program involves 50 students from various faculties with the theme “Identification of Local Wisdom in Gedawang Village in the Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Community Economy.”
In the Thematic Village of RW 10, the Puspa Hati Farmer Group is one of the successful local potentials.
In addition to assisting dairy farmers, this group also functions as an umbrella for MSMEs called DR Putra Gedawang, which is engaged in the production of pure milk and cheese.
Mr. Surani and secretary Mr. Isam lead a group of 40 dairy cows, consisting of 19 males, 19 females, and 2 calves.
Every day, ten dairy cows actively produce fresh milk. The farmers apply diligent animal care, from feeding, sanitation, and stress reduction to maintain the quality and quantity of milk production.
The two main products of DR Putra Gedawang are pure milk and hard cheese such as Edam or Cheddar.
Cheese production begins with pasteurizing the milk to 65°C, then cooling it to 39°C. Next, lactic acid bacteria and rennet are mixed into the milk, left to curdle, and then cut into small pieces to separate the liquid (whey) from the solids (curd).
The curds are then slowly heated, filtered, mixed with coarse salt, and placed in molds to be pressed for one day.
Once finished, the cheese is soaked in brine for one day and then stored in a refrigerator to ferment for at least four months.
If the milk production is not immediately sold out, the remaining milk will be turned into cheese. This is a way to save raw materials and save money in the long run.
The results of interviews with managers show that we are very optimistic that DR Putra Gedawang products will become better known to the general public.
Support is also expected to expand the cow barns to increase production. To ensure that the pure milk business continues to grow in the future, the regeneration of its actors is also very important.
Dr. Sukarjo Waluyo, Head of the IDBU Program and Field Supervisor for the Gedawang Thematic Community Service Program Team, is very proud of the documentary program “Efforts to Explore and Introduce the History, Culture, and Potential of Gedawang Village that has not been Explored.” According to him, this program is very important to show the potential of the village that is not widely known.
Additionally, Dr. Sukarjo Waluyo, S.S., M.Hum., as Head of the Indonesian Literature Program at FIB Undip, fully supports this KKN activity. He hopes this will inspire other students to actively participate in various activities within the Indonesian Literature Program.
Tasia Tim14K1