BENGKULU TENGAH – A dedicated academic team from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bengkulu (UNIB), has successfully executed a community service campaign titled “Fish for the Golden Generation” (Ikan untuk Generasi Emas). The project focused on strengthening nutritional awareness and introducing the health benefits of fish consumption to school-aged children.

The outreach took place on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, targeting students at State Elementary School 02 (SDN 02) in Pekik Nyaring Village, Pondok Kelapa District, Central Bengkulu Regency. Despite the village’s strategic coastal location and its rich pelagic fishing grounds yielding species like skipjack tuna (cakalang) and mackerel tuna (tongkol), the local fish consumption per capita has remained notably low at 47.7% per year.

Compounding this issue, local health data from the Pekik Nyaring public health center previously recorded a 7.2% malnutrition rate among children. Because school-aged children frequently choose unhealthy commercial snacks without strict parental supervision, they face prolonged vulnerabilities to nutritional deficiencies.

Engaging the Youth with Science-Backed Nutrition

To tackle these dietary challenges, the UNIB team deployed interactive educational presentations and lively group discussions using PowerPoint. The students were taught about the unique biochemistry of fish meat, which serves as an outstanding source of animal protein rich in cellular structural builders. Special focus was given to vital polyunsaturated fatty acids—such as linoleic acid, EPA, and DHA—which actively bolster immune defenses, catalyze physiological growth, and accelerate cognitive brain development in growing children.

The implementation team noted that while students were aware that eating fish is healthy, they were generally unaware of the long-term biological advantages of regular fish consumption. Following the session, students showed tremendous enthusiasm and a much deeper understanding, which is expected to motivate them to make fish a staple of their daily diet.

Academic Milestones and Formal Outputs

The initiative was successfully funded via an independent scheme (Skim Pengabdian Mandiri) for the Even Semester of the 2024/2025 Academic Year. Beyond regional awareness, the project achieved notable institutional milestones. On June 11, 2025, the team officially secured an Intellectual Property Copyright (Surat Pencatatan Ciptaan/HAKI) from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (No. 000903967) for an educational pocketbook titled “Ikan untuk Generasi Emas: Kandungan Gizi Penting pada Ikan.”

Project Implementation Overview:

• Project Title: Ikan untuk Generasi Emas: Sosialisasi Gizi Ikan dalam Mendorong Gemar Makan Ikan Anak Usia Sekolah

• Execution Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025

• Target Partner: Students of SDN 02 Bengkulu Tengah, Pekik Nyaring Village

• Implementation Team:

  • Team Leader: Nur Lina Maratana Nabiu, S.Pi., M.Si.

  • Expert Members: Nurlaila Ervina Herliany, S.Pi., M.Si. & Ari Anggoro, S.Pi., M.Si.

  • Student Assistants (Field Personnel): Albet & Jaka Ramadhan Sait

• Official Outputs: Activity Report, Electronic Media Publication, and HAKI Copyright Certification.