Innovation does not only emerge from laboratories; it grows in villages where technology meets local knowledge. The Makmur Tani farming group in Kedongpomahan Wetan, Kemiri, (Purworejo, Central Java) has been cultivating sacha inchi as a high-value oilseed crop with strong prospects for income diversification. The main barrier, however, has been the oil extraction process, which previously relied on limited tools and inconsistent yields.

Through a community-engagement program by FTI ITB, Dr. Anita K Wardani, Prof. Tirto Prakoso, and Dr. Meiti Pratiwi, in collaboration with Yayasan Nyala, farmers received technical training and access to a purpose-built extraction unit designed for ease of operation, energy efficiency, and stable performance. Using this system, farmers can now produce approximately 250–300 mL of oil per kilogram of sacha inchi seeds, enabling them to move beyond raw seed sales and enter higher-value product chains.

Sacha inchi oil is rich in omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids, making it attractive for functional foods, nutrition, and cosmetic formulations. With appropriate technology and capacity building, this crop offers both economic opportunities and a pathway toward innovation-driven rural development. Sodikin, Head of the Makmur Tani group, captured the community’s sentiment clearly: “We used to sell only dry seeds. Now we see new possibilities because we can produce oil with much higher value and clear health benefits.”

Efforts like this show how applied research, technology transfer, and farmer collaboration can strengthen Indonesia’s agricultural resilience and create sustainable, locally driven value chains.