Smart Solar Home Dryer Technology: State Polytechnic of Bangka Belitung Lecturers Assist 'Siap Makmur' Farmers' Group in Improving Post-Harvest Cocoa Quality
A group photo of the Polman Negeri Babel lecturer and student team with the Siap Makmur Farmers' Group Association (Gapoktan) following the introduction of Smart Solar Home Dryer technology, aimed at improving the post-harvest quality of cocoa beans.
Efforts to improve cocoa bean quality continue through the development of post-harvest technologies. Lecturers from the Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic (Polman Babel) conducted a Community Service (PkM) activity with the "Siap Makmur" Joint Farmer Group (Gapoktan) in Pemali Village, Bangka Regency, on Wednesday (October 7, 2026). The initiative focused on developing the "Smart Solar Home Dryer," an off-grid, solar-powered cocoa bean drying device.
The PkM team comprised lecturers Peprizal, S.T., M.Pd.T. and Lesta, S.P., M.Si. (Department of Electrical and Agro-Industrial Engineering) and Better Swengky, M.Kom. (Department of Software Engineering Technology), with the involvement of Polman Babel students.
When interviewed on Monday (October 12, 2026), the PkM Team Leader, Peprizal, explained the innovative post-harvest drying technology. He noted that the Smart Solar Home Dryer was introduced to farmers as a solution to assist the cocoa bean drying process, adding that the unit has a capacity of up to 8 kg.
Peprizal stated that the activity continued with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) between the PkM team and the farmer group. They discussed the conditions and challenges farmers face during post-harvest processing—specifically the drying stage, which relies on environmental conditions and fluctuating weather.
"The session provided a simulation of the Solar Home Dryer's use, combining explanations with hands-on practice so that farmers could understand the application of this technology in the cocoa bean drying process," he concluded.
Peprizal added that efforts to enhance farmers' knowledge regarding cultivation and post-harvest technology—specifically during the drying stage—must be sustained; the use of the Smart Solar Home Dryer can streamline the drying process, ensure greater consistency, and mitigate the risk of failure caused by unpredictable weather conditions.
"Looking ahead, further development of the technology and farmer support should focus on enhancing features such as temperature and humidity control, as well as real-time drying data monitoring. These improvements would allow for a more controlled drying process and ultimately support higher cocoa bean quality," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Dedi, a representative of the Siap Makmur Farmers' Group Association (Gapoktan), welcomed the initiative, noting that the introduction of drying technology provides farmers with valuable new knowledge on handling their cocoa harvests.
Consequently, the new insights into cocoa post-harvest processing shared by the Polman Babel lecturer team—particularly regarding the Solar Home Dryer—are expected to help farmers dry their cocoa beans more easily and produce higher-quality beans," he stated.
