Development of Local Banana Chips Business Groups Based on Regenerative Agriculture Through Integrated Marketing Communication in Alue Krueng Village, Aceh Jaya Regency

Abstract

The economic potential of banana-based micro-enterprises in rural areas often remains underutilized due to limited knowledge of product innovation, marketing strategies, and gender-inclusive empowerment. This community service program aims to strengthen regenerative entrepreneurship by fostering sustainable banana chip-based businesses in rural communities through integrated empowerment and digital marketing approaches. This program contributes to enhancing community resilience by developing a sustainable model of banana chip entrepreneurship that empowers women, promotes digital marketing skills, and maximizes the use of local natural resources. It fosters the creation of new socio-entrepreneurial groups that are independent, inclusive, and adaptive to market demands. The method applied was participatory community engagement using a descriptive qualitative approach, involving field observations, interviews, and training workshops. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources, analyzed thematically, and implemented in collaboration with community groups. Criteria for inclusion included active micro-entrepreneurs in banana processing, while exclusion applied to non-productive or non-resident actors. The type of community service strategy used in this study is the Participatory Action and Learning Action Research (PALAR) approach, which is a form of community-based empowerment involving the active participation of the community as the main agents of transformation. This approach was chosen because it has proven effective in strengthening community empowerment through reflective and adaptive collaboration tailored to local contexts.  The program resulted in the creation of four new banana chip product variants, increased knowledge and skills in e-commerce, packaging innovation, and digital promotion, especially among women participants. Community members reported increased income potential, market access, and a shift toward environmentally friendly production practices. This program successfully addressed the research objectives by increasing local entrepreneurial capacity, promoting gender-sensitive innovation, and offering a replicable model for other rural regions aiming to enhance economic sustainability through agro-based micro-enterprises.