<![CDATA[This article reports on an international community service program that introduced dome dryer technology to improve the quality and market competitiveness of Kamang cassava crackers (kerupuk ubi kayu Kamang), a traditional food product of Nagari Koto Tangah, Tilatang Kamang, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The program was implemented by the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Andalas University, in collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) under the Enhancing Quality Education for International University Recognition (EQUITY) Program funded by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP). Activities included knowledge-sharing sessions delivered by an international resource person and a university research-commercialization expert; a field visit to cracker production houses; installation and demonstration of a solar-powered dome dryer; and mentoring on food-product legality, packaging, and labeling. Pre-test and post-test comparisons indicated improved partner understanding of hygienic and efficient processing techniques, product quality standards required for export markets, and packaging and branding strategies to strengthen competitiveness. The dome dryer, which raises the drying chamber temperature by approximately 10 to 25 degrees Celsius above ambient conditions, offered a practical solution to open-sun drying practices that previously exposed products to weather variability and the risk of contamination. The activity also produced tangible outputs, including improved product labels exhibited alongside the training, and dissemination through the university website and national and regional mass media. The results suggest that combining appropriate drying technology with food-safety and branding mentoring can support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in moving toward standardized production and broader market access, including potential entry into Malaysian and other ASEAN markets. This experience also illustrates how international academic partnerships can strengthen the internationalization agenda of higher education institutions while delivering direct benefits to rural food-based MSMEs]]>
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