ULM’s MangrovePreneurs Team Represents Banua in the National Innovileague Finals
BANJARMASIN – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) has once again brought honor to the region on the national stage. The MangrovePreneurs team, consisting of Rezky Amalia, Luthfi Nor Anshori, and Muhammad Baihaqi, has successfully advanced to the final round of Innovileague 2025, a community empowerment innovation competition held by the Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment of the Republic of Indonesia.
These three students from various faculties at ULM, along with their supervisors, developed the innovation “Utilizing Freshwater Mangrove Nectar (Sonneratia caseolaris) as an Income Generator in Mekar Sari Village, Tatah Makmur District.” They utilized the potential of wasted rambai nectar to process it into high-quality stingless bee honey, while simultaneously promoting environmental conservation and strengthening the village economy.
The MangrovePreneurs innovation rests on three main pillars:
- Utilizing local resources unique to the Mekar Sari Village ecosystem.
- Integration of digital processing and marketing technology to expand market access.
- Establishment of Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) as village economic institutions to ensure sustainable and inclusive benefits.
Kelulut honey products from rambai not only have high economic value but also contain antioxidants that are beneficial for health. This innovation has received a positive response from residents and has even motivated other villages to try similar cultivation practices.
The final round of Innovileague will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the Faculty of Medicine and Medicine Auditorium, Surabaya State University. The ULM team will compete against seven other finalists, including the University of Indonesia, Padjadjaran University, the University of North Sumatra, Gorontalo State University, Ganesha University of Education, STIP Jakarta, and Surabaya State University.
ULM Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Alim Bachri, expressed his full support for the finalist teams.
“Alhamdulillah, out of hundreds of participating teams, ULM has made it to the top eight nationally. We fully support this team’s efforts and hope their innovation will inspire other villages in Indonesia,” he said.
According to him, competitions like Innovileague are not only a forum for competing ideas, but also a means to promote the research and community service conducted by ULM students.
From the initial stage, ULM facilitated field research, academic guidance, and presentation strategies. This innovation is the result of cross-disciplinary collaboration that combines economics, fisheries, and food processing technology to create sustainable solutions.
By upholding the spirit of innovation and empowerment, the ULM MangrovePreneurs Team not only elevates the university to the national level but also offers a concrete model of village empowerment based on local potential that can be replicated across Indonesia.
