2023

Final REPORT
Job Creation Using Local Wisdom (Natural
Fibers Products) in Gorontalo Province
As a part of the study on

“Co-creation of Sustainable Regional Innovation for Reducing Risk of High-

Impact Environmental Pollution (SRIREP)”

Dr. rer. nat. MOHAMAD JAHJA, M.Si.

Dr.Sc. NURFITRI ABDULGAFUR

Collaborative Research between State University of Gorontalo (UNG)

and Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)
Gorontalo,October 22, 2023.
 CONTENTS
ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH METHODS ........................................................................................ 5
CHAPTER 3 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS.................................................................................. 9
1. Erosion control blanket experiment in Bonebolango regency ............................................. 9
2. Green Curtains ................................................................................................................... 11
3. Biopot................................................................................................................................. 16
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 18
 ABSTRACT

Transdisciplinary research applied in job creation on palm fiber products has been done for
almost 4 years. Upon completion of the final years on the SRIREP Project some achievements is
summarized here. For 5 years we strive on production of sugar-palm-fiber based nets that are
used as erosion control blankets (ECB) for erosion and green curtain (GC). In the 5th year we
gained attention from high school (MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo) to use the GC as research
project for their students, While Study center for Energy, Natural resources, and Geopark with
NGO (Wire-G) to implement the palm fiber net as a new job for people who lived in the vicinity
of Nantu Forest area. New products such as biopots, palm fiber mat and plate made of palm leaf
sticks have been emerged in the 5th year from our stakeholders.
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

At least eight locations of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) camp type activities
in Gorontalo province reported by research [1,2]. Approximately 1000 laborers (gold miners)
each month stay in the camp, their average annual earning is 4,000 – 5,000 USD. Compared to
Farmers with most land can earn 3,700 USD and ojek driver could earn 2,400 – 8,000 USD
(even the fuel charge is subtracted)[2]. The annual minimum wage of Gorontalo Province in
2020 is 2,206 USD as a side note for our discussion.
Job creation is very important for SRIREP project [3] to bring alternative income for goldminers
and their families to avoid any gold mining associates’ activities or jobs such as transportation
(called “ojek”), cooking and laundry. The transportation is main job that available for young man
in the area which is very important for living line of goldmining activities.

Figure 1. The Process of transformative learning in TDCOP natural fiber group. Local people
which have indigenous knowledge on the making natural fiber-based products are intensively
contacted.
 CHAPTER 2
RESEARCH METHODS

Transdisciplinary Community of Practice (TDCOP)

Sugar palm fiber net was the earliest net used in the SRIREP project Figure 2, and since then
become developed to other purpose such as Green Curtain.

Figure 2. Palm fiber-based ECB (seven pieces) made in the Moopiya workshop in Tulabolo barat
of Bonebolango regency, were produced in 2020.
Community of practice is used to discuss the sugar palm fibres net as erosion control blanket
measures and green curtain for reducing the energy consumption (mainly for comfort) as shown
in Figure 3

.
Figure 3. TDCOP on natural fiber products were conducted in 2023, the mat (is called among)
were used during that activities become another product.
1. Amongo: Amongo is mat made from pandanus leaves, which is replaced plastic based
mat, since then the production drops continuously, leave only some families (one in
 Biluhu village) producing mat. The SRIREP project would start using the Amongo for
several application for example Erosion control, Mulch sees Figure 4, Plafond .

Figure 4. Amongo mat with size of 50 cm x 5 m : wrapped (left ) and unwrapped (right) to be
used as erosion control blanket and mulch.

Figure 5. Amongo mat used as plafond of a structure in private house of vice rector 4 of UNG.
2. Coconut leaves is abundant in Gorontalo province since it is a major plant for economy
of Gorontalo people, the leaves usually made for attap roof, the young leaves (yellow
color/janur kuning) used for decoration in the festival or ceremony, also as wrap for
ketupat. Nowadays the dish made from lidi / stick of the leaves are common to replace
 the plastic dishes. About 65 dishes has been produced and brought to Japan already and
will used as advertisement in Japan (started in Kyoto). Those plate was made in
Lombongo village of Gorontalo regency as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. The dishes made out from lidi / stick of coconut leaves: it is made in Lombongo village
by students and parents of SDN 4 Lombongo.

3. Bamboo: Bamboo is found abundant in Gorontalo Province and bamboo products were used
mainly as households needs. Nowadays almost all households is replaced with metal,
plastics, glass and very small amounts made from wood (including bamboo). Recently the
need for wood-based households has been increased mainly for limited amount in kitchen
household but mostly for sports, electronics and many more
https://www.guaduabamboo.com/products-from-bamboo. The bamboo products is needed
as handicraft for Geopark Gorontalo as well as other products like karawo etc. Recently
Government of Gorontalo Province through Secretariat of Gorontalo Geopark collaborate
with PPSDM Geominerba Bandung initiates the Program Sosialisasi Ketrampilan Usaha
Kawasan Pertambangan dan Sekitar Geopark Propinsi Gorontalo with specific theme
Pengembangan Produk Anyaman Bambu, eceng gondok dan coiling bambu.
Figure 7. Several bamboo items were made by trainee during their training in bamboo handicraft
in Gorontalo from 16th to 21 October 2023.
 CHAPTER 3
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

1. Erosion control blanket experiment in Bonebolango regency

Sugar Palm-fibres (Arenga pinnata) net ECBs
Sugar Palm fibres (Arenga pinnata) is made into the ropes (average diameter is 0.6 cm) and then woven to
form net which woven into pattern. In this study, the net with mesh size dimension of 5 cm x 5 cm
(opening size is 3.8 cm x 3.8 cm) were selected to investigate the performance. The ECB was prepared
from sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) palm fibres using knot type with 5 m in length and 1 m in width as
shown at Error! Reference source not found.. The average mass per unit area and thickness of woven
sugar palm net were 0.29 kg m-2 and 0.6 cm respectively. The fibers of the sugar palm (Arenga pinnata)
are produced into ropes with an average diameter of 0.6 cm, which are then weaved to create a net that is
woven into pattern. The performance of a net with a mesh size of 5 cm by 5 cm and an aperture size of
3.8 cm by 3.8 cm was examined in this study. According to Fig. 1, the ECB was made from the palm
fibers of the sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) using a knot type that was 5 m long and 1 m wide. The average
weight of the woven sugar palm net and its thickness were 0.29 kg m-2 and 0.75±0.04 cm, respectively.

(a) (b)
Figure 2. The Sugar palm fibres net is being prepared from previously prepared sugar palm fibres
ropes of diameter of 5 mm (a) by woven it on nailed wooden frame and (b) the completed net is
ready.

Study Area
The experiment was carried out on a test embankment built in the Ulanta village in Bonebolango
regency's Suwawa district (0°33’27.1” N 123°08’55.7"E) see Figure 8. The study location is among the
erosion-prone areas with severe erosion on the GIS-based map recently reported by [4].

Figure 8. Location of field experiment using Sugar-palm fibre net-based ECB.

 Figure 9. Installment of green curtain on the embankment in Taman Taqwa near Mosque and
residential of Regent of Bonebolango regency.
Experiment
Experiment on effectiveness of Sugar-palm fiber-based ECB was started by installing the ECB
as depicted in Figure 9, then continued by measuring the eroded mass at individual erosion
events induced by natural rainfall (data of precipitation is provided by BMKG).
Results
Eroded soils and precipitation intensity for 3 months are depicted in Figure 10, showing the
increase of cumulative eroded mass and significant erosion occurring at relatively high
precipitations. The effectiveness of sugar palm fiber-based ECB against natural rainfall just
recently published by Jahja et al. [5].
cumulative precipitation (mm)
5 year average (2019-2023)
500 50

450 bare soil

ECB-covered
400 40

350
Precipitation (mm/h)

Eroded mass (kg)

300 30

250

200 20

150

100 10

50

0
Jan 25 Feb 14 Mar 6 Mar 26 Apr 15 May 5
date

Figure 10 Cumulative precipitation during erosion monitoring period as compared with 5-year average (2019–
2023). During the monitoring period, 13 erosion events occurred, with total amounts shown as bars (white for bare
soil and black for ECB-covered soil).
 2. Green Curtains
We have placed several Green Curtain was made by sugar palm fibres net at several locations:
Private Houses
Several private houses have been installing green curtain including house of Yayu Arifin
in Huangobotu village in Gorontalo city Figure 11. It was the first green curtain installed in the
Gorontalo city.

Figure 11. The green curtain installed using bamboo frame in 2022-2023 but now changed using
light metal frame system in the house of Yayu Indriati Arifin in Huangobotu o Gorontalo city of
Gorontalo Province. and studied its performance in terms of thermal comfort.

Figure 12. Green curtains become green canopy that provides a comfortable place in day (left)
and night (right). It is also full of markisa fruit that provides sources of vitamin C for family.
House of vice rector IV as shown at Figure 13, the house is in telega subdistrict of
Gorontalo regency of Gorontalo regency. Four Green curtain pieces is installed in the backyard
of the house. Three markisa plants and one grape plant are planted in the outer corners of the
construction which is made of bamboo sticks.
 Figure 13. Green curtain at the private house of Vice Rector 4 of UNG.

Figure 14. Private house of Yayu Arifin in Dembe Jaya of Gorontalo city of Gorontalo regency,
the thermal performance of the house will be studied by student.
SDN 4 Suwawa Lombongo Bone Bolango
SDN 4 Lombongo is located near artisanal gold mine society Figure 15, become one of
important stakeholders in the region that allows SRIREP Project to interact with students, parents
and teachers. Green Curtain installment in the main entrance of the school. The head of school
also wants to install other green curtain on the front of classroom and studied by students.
 (a)

(b) (c)

Figure 15. Location of SDN 4 Suwawa in the vicinity of ASGM area on map (a), palm fiber net
as green curtain installed on the main gate of school (b) and teachers and students gather outside
on the parking lot.
 MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo
Transformative discussion on the use of green curtains to reduce energy consumption in
the building. Three high school students formed a group under supervision of their teacher
(Melvatria Karim, S.Pd a graduated from Physics Department of UNG) to investigate the
temperature and humidity of the building with green curtain. Several studies on Green curtain in
two locations (a House in Molosipat W municipality of Gorontalo city) shows a significant
reduction in energy used between room with and without GC about[6].

(a) (b)
Figure 16. Discussion with Students and teacher from MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo: at their
School (a) and in the Faculty of Science of UNG (b).
The temperature and humidity of room with GC at house of Yayu Indriati at Huangobotu
according to measurements by students of MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo is shown Figure 17.

38 85

36 80

34 75
Temperature ( C)

70
Humidity ( C)

32
o

65
30
60
28
55
26
temp.
50
24 humid
45
0 4 8 12 16 20
hour

Figure 17. Temperatures dan Humidities of room under green curtain at Private House of Yayu
Arifin in Huangobotu municipality of Gorontalo city.
 Figure 18. Installation process of green curtain on the high-rise building (two story building in
MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo).

(a) (b) (c)

(d) € (f)

(g) (h) (i)

Figure 19 Students of MAN Kabupaten 1 Gorontalo prepared their GC using variety of plants.
Just recently the MAN 1 Kabupaten Gorontalo expanded the use of Sugar-palm-fibers net as
Green Curtain in their school’s student’s project. Students of 8th class made the sugar-palm-fiber
net and hung it in the front of their classroom. Instead of Passiflora edulis students and teachers
used various plants namely (Rambusa/Passiflora foetida; cucumber/Cucumis sativus;
Chayote/sechium edule; Madeira vine/Anredera cordifolia; Green and red grapes) as shown in
Figure 19. Publications related with Sugar palm fiber net research are available online [5,7–10]
 3. Biopot
Biopot is designed as place to grow seeds instead of plastic or synthetic polybag, common
Biopot was made from water hyancinth [11], banana [12], compost [13], cow manure [14]. as
shown in Figure 20. We introduce the Biopot made from coconut leaves that is shown in Figure
21, where teacher and students preparing the biopot. It is become a part of their project-based
learning (PBL) of using local materials and local wisdom of stakeholders.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Figure 20. Biopot made from banana stem (a) and mixture of compost and clay (b), cow manure
and water hyacinth (d)
Figure 21. Biopot made from coconut leaves: elementary school students making the Biopot (a)
and one of ready Biopot made from coconut leaves (b).
The Biopot also was prepared in other communities in Gandasari village of Tolangohula
subdistrict of Gorontalo regency. Several communities are also preparing the biopot but we did
not have the report yet.

(a) (b)

(c)

Figure 22. Making of coconut leaves based biopot in tolongohula: a family member making a
biopot together at their kitchen (a) a biopot (b) several biopot that finished off.
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