Farmers in Catur Village, Kintamani, Bangli, face challenges in the coffee bean drying process. They continue to use traditional methods, such as sun-drying and under greenhouses, which slow down the productivity and result in lower-quality coffee beans. Additionally, the high rainfall in Catur Village further impacts drying time, making the process even more difficult.
Recognizing these issues, a team led by Made Allan Theja Kurniawan from the Biology Education program, along with the members I Nengah Ariyasa Kusuma from the Biology Education program, I Kadek Suka Laksana from the Biology program, Richa Patrisia Arista Putri from the Elementary Teacher Education program and Ni Kadek Indri Regita Ayuningtias from the Informatics Engineering Education program, introduced an innovative solution: the Smart Coffee Dryer (SCD). This project was part of the Student Creativity Program for IPTEK Application (PKM-PI) and was designed for the Wisnu Sri Guna Farmers Group in Catur, Kintamani. The SCD is a hybrid-based rotary dryer system powered by a dynamo. It allows coffee beans to be dried efficiently, even during unfavorable weather conditions, as it can be connected to eco-friendly electricity sources.
The program, guided by lecturer I Made Oka Riawan, S.Pd., M.Sc., began in April and spanned 4 months. It involved several stages: observation and interviews, tool and material preparation, machine design (including framework, rotary dryer, module box, solar panel application, main component assembly, software programming, and machine testing). The implementation stage followed, with socialization and SCD application, concluding with an evaluation and final report. This tool benefits farmers by allowing them to monitor and control the temperature and moisture content of the coffee beans via a smartphone.
