PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT NAGARI PADANG LAWEH SELATAN SIJUNJUNG DALAM PENGEMBANGAN PRODUK DAUN PANDAN DENGAN PENDEKATAN ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Nagari Padang Laweh Selatan, Sijunjung Regency, has strong creative-economy potential through pandan-leaf weaving, a craft rooted in local knowledge and community skills. Nevertheless, this potential still faces several constraints, including limited product variety, designs that do not fully respond to current market preferences, weak product identity, and suboptimal use of digital marketing. This community service program aimed to empower local residents through pandan product development using the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach. The approach positioned community members as the main actors by identifying and optimizing existing assets, including human, natural, social, cultural, institutional, and weaving-skill assets. The program followed the stages of discovery, dream, design, define, and destiny through asset mapping, group discussions, product innovation training, design and branding assistance, and digital promotion strengthening. The activities encouraged participants to recognize weaving skills, pandan availability, production experience, community networks, and mutual cooperation as strategic resources for business development. The mentoring process generated ideas for diversifying traditional mats into more varied functional and decorative products while improving participants’ understanding of finishing quality, brand identity, product photography, and social-media marketing. The participatory process also strengthened community ownership because product-development decisions were formulated collectively according to local capabilities and needs. The program indicates that pandan craft development can simultaneously create economic value, preserve local knowledge, and strengthen group capacity. ABCD therefore offers a relevant framework for sustainable community empowerment because it begins with community strengths, expands local networks, and encourages independent, adaptive, creative, and competitive village-based enterprises within changing local and wider markets.