The food diversification competition has been held for six times in six consecutive years and has been met with enthusiastic participation by various high schools. The competition, which was attended by students from various high schools and vocational schools in Malang, was slightly different from previous years. Participants had to pass through a selection stage of competition proposals on February 24, 2018, and afterwards took part in the food processing competition stage on March 3, 2018.
Taking the theme “Assorted Corn-Based Dishes”, the competition had the main objective of creating innovative processed foods of corn. Furthermore, this competition aimed to explore the potentials of Malang high school students in creating new dishes, as well as to explore the local food potential in replacing the main staple food, i.e. rice. Corn is known as a carbohydrate-producing food source, occupying second position after rice.
All this time processed corn has been only used as steamed food or re-processed as snacks with low sale value. This competition was expected to increase the economic value of various local food products, including corn.
On Saturday, March 3, 2018, this annual event was officially opened. Despite the threat of the clouded skies over Malang, participants remained enthusiastic in competing to create corn-based dishes with spectacular flavor different from regular corn-based dishes. This year’s competition had fifteen participants from nine high schools in Malang, after the other four were declared failed at the proposal selection stage.
SMKN 13 Malang sent two teams, SMKN 3 Malang sent 2 teams, SMK Kartika IV-1 Malang sent 2 teams, SMAK Frateran Malang sent 2 teams, SMK Shalahuddin 1 Malang sent 1 team, SMK Prajnaparamitra Malang sent 2 teams, SMA Tumapel Malang sent 1 team, SMA Laboratorium of the State University of Malang (UM) sent 1 team, and SMA Taman Harapan Malang sent 1 team.
Widya Karya’s Faculty of Agriculture, as the organizer of the annual event of food diversification competition, expected that the event would increase the society awareness in reducing dependence on rice consumption and switching to rice substitutes. To date Indonesian people are still depending on rice. Eventually, this event is expected to contribute in enhancing the national economic development and society welfare through a variety of creative food innovations, and to enhance Indonesia’s food security.
In this food diversification event SMA Laboratorium UM won the first place, SMK Kartika IV-1 won the second place, and SMKN 3 Malang won the third place. The committee acknowledges UPT PK PPTKLN (Poverty Alleviation Program’s Training Center) Wonojati, Singosari District, Malang Regency, represented by Mr. Suwanto, S.TP., M.Agr. and Ms. Jinarti, S.TP., as the judges in the 2018 competition. In addition, the committee would also like to thank all participants as well as others who had assisted in this event.
This event was greatly invigorated by the cheering competition spontaneously held by the supporters, as well as by entertaining performances of student bands comprising members of the Art Activity Unit and students of the Faculty of Agriculture.