Polije Empowers Karangpring Village to Develop Rose-Based Agrotourism

Karangpring Village in Sukorambi Subdistrict, Jember, is widely known as a rose cultivation center. However, its potential as a tourism destination has yet to be fully realized. To address this, the Nawasena Women Farmers Group (KWT) has taken the initiative to transform roses into high-value products such as syrup, tea, jam, and diffusers, supported by a community service team from Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije).

The Polije team consisting of lecturers from the Agribusiness Management Department (Sumarlina, Amalia Dwi Marseva, Aulia Nadhirah, and Tia Sofiani Napitupulu) and Agricultural Production Department (Elly Daru Ika Wilujeng), alongside five students conducted a potential survey. The findings revealed that Karangpring is highly suitable to be developed into a rose agrotourism village.

“Karangpring has vast rose gardens, a rose monument, culinary spots, and sports facilities. Moreover, women farmers already produce rose-based goods that could serve as unique souvenirs,” explained Sumarlina.

To strengthen this potential, the Polije team facilitated a comparative study visit with KWT Nawasena and local agricultural extension officers to the Polije Teaching Factory Citrus Innovation Garden, which successfully launched citrus-picking agrotourism in 2024.

“The citrus-picking tour is simple yet attractive, and it has already drawn many visitors. This shows how experiential tourism can be a strong magnet,” said Ujang, Manager of the Teaching Factory.

The collaboration continued through training and mentoring in branding, packaging, and digital marketing strategies. Polije also provided promotional support, including portable booths, roll-up banners, brochures, product catalogs, e-brochures, and digital content to boost visibility both offline and online.

Through these initiatives, Polije aims to accelerate the realization of Karangpring Rose Agrotourism Village while empowering rural women.

“We want to strengthen women’s roles in the village so that rose agrotourism can generate a positive impact on community welfare,” emphasized Sumarlina.