Community Empowerment
Vol. 11 No. 2 (2026)

Transforming invasive weeds into environmental solutions: Community-based biochar production from taberau (Phragmites australis) in Central Kalimantan

Abudarin Abudarin (University of Palangka Raya)
I Nyoman Sudyana (University of Palangka Raya)
Retno Agnestisia (University of Palangka Raya)
Akhmad Damsyik (University of Palangka Raya)
Siti Unvaresi Misonia Beladona (University of Palangka Raya)
Alfalita Chendy Sarungu (University of Palangka Raya)
Johan Yahya (University of Palangka Raya)



Article Info

Publish Date
20 Apr 2026

Abstract

The Taberau plant (Phragmites australis) grows abundantly across the peat swamps of Central Kalimantan, particularly in Tanjung Sangalang Village. Despite its high biomass potential, it is widely dismissed as an invasive weed and remains underutilized. This community service program aims to empower local farmer groups by introducing a simple, local wisdom-integrated pyrolysis method to convert Taberau into multifunctional biochar. The program was executed through a comprehensive framework including local coordination, site surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), simple reactor fabrication, hands-on demonstrations, and empirical evaluations. The production trials demonstrated that 20 kg of raw Taberau biomass yielded 5 kg of biochar, achieving an efficiency rate of approximately 25%. The training workshop, which engaged 40 local farmers, significantly elevated participants' technical comprehension, as evidenced by post-test scores exceeding 90% across all pedagogical indicators. Furthermore, 85% of respondents reported a substantial increase in environmental literacy, and 87.5% validated the tangible socio-economic benefits of the program. Ultimately, this initiative serves as a highly replicable model for circular economy practices in regions facing similar biomass management challenges.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ce

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Public Health Social Sciences

Description

Community empowerment is a medium for academicians, government, private companies, and social institutions to communicate community empowerment activities. Each published article is expected to provide new insights and inspire activities elsewhere on related ...