Improving Catfish (Clarias sp.) Processing Into Sempolita as an Innovative Supplementary Feeding for Toddlers in Ngasinan Village, Wonosobo

Abstrak

Ngasinan Village, Wonosobo, where Supplementary Feeding (PMT) often lacks protein variety and quality. This community service programme aimed to enhance the skills of community health post cadres and mothers in processing catfish (Clarias sp.) into “Sempolita” — a catfish-based sempol enriched with spinach — as an innovative, nutrient-dense PMT. Using a participatory approach, activities included needs assessment, technical training on hygienic processing, nutrition education, and simple packaging demonstrations. Participants learned to transform fresh catfish into soft, child-friendly finger food with improved vitamin, mineral, and fibre content from spinach. Results showed increased knowledge, confidence, and skills, with 95% of participants able to produce Sempolita independently post-training. Taste tests revealed high acceptance among toddlers, even those typically reluctant to eat fish. Sempolita offers superior nutritional value compared to existing PMT, is low-cost due to local ingredient availability, and has potential as a marketable village product. The programme effectively addressed nutritional issues while fostering community empowerment and economic opportunities. Sustainability will require broader dissemination, affordable equipment, product licensing, and marketing support. This initiative demonstrates that local food-based innovations can improve child nutrition, prevent stunting, and strengthen rural economies, with potential for replication in similar regions.