Use of Moringa Plant as a Healthy Processed Food: A Study of the Social Facts Paradigm Within the Keloris Community in Ngawenomboh Village, Kunduran District, Blora Regency, Central Java

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Empowered communities are self-reliant, have better opportunities to utilize and access local resources, and improved well-being. Social facts indicate that the community of Ngawenomboh Village in Kunduran District, Blora Regency, Central Java, is facing welfare issues resulting in malnutrition. On the other hand, there is local potential for the wild moringa plant, which is underutilized even though appropriate processing might boost the nation’s economy and combat malnutrition. Using moringa as a nutritious processed product, “Keloris,” can majorly benefit the community. This research aims to explain and assess this initiative. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive approach, with data collection techniques through observation and in-depth interviews with Keloris and community sources. The results show that the community empowerment initiatives by Keloris follow the empowering sustainability approach with technology. The empowering approach includes moringa cultivation, and production and distribution partnerships, which have resulted in community empowerment, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, the sustainability approach involves training and developing community empowerment programs, resulting in the emergence of 1keloris as agents of change responsible for moringa development in the community. Additionally, the technology approach, through the use of production machines and digital marketing, has increased moringa production capacity and quality, as well as expanded its market. This research contributes to a community empowerment model for processing moringa as a healthy product. Keywords: empowerment, keloris, local potential