The program combines academic knowledge with hands-on farming practices, resulting not only in higher honey yields but also improved product quality and more sustainable beekeeping management. The collaboration model is considered significant for narrowing the long-standing gap between university research and real-world community needs.
Traditional Practices Limit Productivity
Trigona itama, commonly known as stingless bees, are well suited to Indonesia’s tropical climate and offer strong economic potential. However, many rural beekeepers still rely on traditional methods, with limited attention to hive hygiene and harvesting techniques. These conditions have constrained productivity and honey quality.
The research team identified the core issue not as environmental limitations, but as weak knowledge transfer from universities to farmers. To address this, a tripartite collaboration involving lecturers, students, and beekeepers was designed as a community empowerment strategy.
Field-Based Mentoring and Simple Technology
The program applied an action-based approach in the field. Lecturers provided scientific guidance and innovation, students acted as technology transfer agents, and farmers served as practitioners who tested and refined the techniques in real conditions.
Mentoring activities included initial assessments, identification of technical constraints, and the introduction of appropriate technology. One key innovation was the modification of traditional log hives into a topping system, along with the use of portable vacuum harvesting tools to maintain honey hygiene.
Key Findings from the Field
The collaboration delivered several measurable outcomes:
- Honey colony productivity increased by approximately 30 percent.
- Bee foraging activity rose by up to 45 percent following hive modification.
- Improved harvesting methods reduced the risk of honey fermentation.
- Honey quality became more stable with a consistent sweet–sour flavor profile.
- Beekeepers began adopting basic hygiene standards in honey packaging.
According to Ari Ashari Harahap from Universitas Muhammadiyah Tapanuli Selatan, the results demonstrate that even simple innovations can be effective when accompanied by intensive mentoring and clear communication with farmers.
Benefits for Communities and Higher Education
For local beekeepers, the program led to higher yields and better-managed honey businesses based on environmental sustainability. Students gained practical experience, social communication skills, and first-hand exposure to community-based problem solving.
The initiative also supports Indonesia’s Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) policy, which encourages students to learn beyond the classroom. The authors note that this collaborative model can be replicated in other agricultural and livestock sectors.
Author Profiles
Dr. Ari Ashari Harahap, S.Pt., M.Si.
Lecturer, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Tapanuli Selatan.
Expertise: animal husbandry and community empowerment.
Co-authors include Aisyah Nurmi, Muharram Fajrin Harahap, and Msy. Nurhalimah from Universitas Muhammadiyah Tapanuli Selatan, and Anugrah Sri Widiasyih from Universitas Graha Nusantara.
Research Source
Harahap, A.A., Nurmi, A., Harahap, M.F., Nurhalimah, M., & Widiasyih, A.S. (2026).
Collaboration between Lecturers, Students, and Farmers in Developing Trigona itama Honey Bee Cultivation at the Barokah Honey Farm.
Journal of Community Service Bestari (JPMB), Vol. 5 No. 1, January 2026, pp. 57–62.
DOI: 10.55927/jpmb.v5i1.585
URL: https://nblformosapublisher.org/index.php/jpmb
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