The Demo of Essential Oils Production by Bogor Agricultural University Attracted Visitors of ENIP
As one of the Indonesian universities which is productive that generates innovations, Bogor Agriculture University wanted to compete with other Universities to promote their products by joining the 2011 Expo Nasional Inovasi Perkebunan (National Innovation Expo Plantation – ENIP) at Balai Kartini, Jakarta. To attract more people to visit the University stand, Ms. Rini Purnawati of the Department of Industrial Technology, Bogor Agricultural University demonstrated the process of how to make essential oils fom jasmine flowers. "Essential oils from flowers as its raw materials are produced through the distillation process, and other materials rather than flowers (stems, twigs, leaves, wood) as well," said Rini for visitors. The program was really successful, many visitors came to visit the stand of Bogor Agricultural University.
One of the visitors, was Mr. Sumirman from Sidoarjo, who is the working partner of Plantation Nusantara XII, was really happy to watch with his own eyes the process to produce essential oils. "It was the first time for me to watch such process in the production of essential oils. It is so simple, but we should utilize an expensive tool, "said Sumirman.
Similar impression was also made by Nur Caliph, a student of Vocational High School (SMK), who is currently undertaking an internship work at the Pusat Penelitian Pengembangan Perkebunan (Puslitbangbun), it was also her first time to watch the process of producing the essential oils. "So it is the method to produce the essential oils for perfume," she said. In addition to a wide variety of essential oils, Nur also interested in the innovations made by the University such as soaps from jarak (Jatropha), forage wafer, and Horta doll. Such Doll which is made from wastes of wood industry is indeed unique. When we water the doll, within a week the grass will grow at the head of the doll as its hairs.
In another occasion, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Bayu Krisnamurti visited the stand of Bogor Agricultural University. When his saw the wafer forage for ruminants, Dr. Bayu approached and holding the wafer forage for livestock. "It would be great if the University exhibite the tool to produce the wafer forage, to enable farmers petternize the method to produce such wafer forage themselves. In addition, I expect that some workshops will manufacture the tools and able to market them easily, "said Dr. Bayu. According Dr.Bayu wafer technology is another important innovative product, to solve feed shortage in the dry season. In the rainy season where the grass are abundant, continued Dr. Bayu, farmers may preserve the excess grasses in the form of wafers. In the dry season, these wafers will be given to livestock.(Wied).
