Through the Forest-to-Home approach, rattan seeds—which have a low natural germination and survival rate—can be nurtured by community members at home during their first three months of growth. Once the seedlings have passed this vulnerable early-growth stage, they are returned to the forest, where their chances of survival are expected to increase.

The innovation was developed to address the challenges of rattan regeneration in one of Indonesia’s major rattan-producing regions. During the germination and early-growth stages, many rattan seeds fail to sprout, while young seedlings are highly vulnerable to pests and environmental pressures. According to the ITB team, the survival rate of rattan seedlings in their natural habitat generally does not exceed 5 percent.

This condition poses a threat to the sustainability of rattan as a resource of both ecological and economic value. Based on data referenced by the team, Indonesia supplies nearly 80 percent of the world’s rattan products. Approximately 56 percent of Indonesia’s rattan production is reported to originate from Central Sulawesi, including Donggala Regency.

Portable Nursery Accommodates Up to 100 Seedlings

The ITB Smart-Nursery Backpack can accommodate approximately 50 to 100 rattan seedlings in each unit. The device is equipped with an automatic watering system, ultraviolet lamps, humidity sensors, and protection against pests.

Its system can be controlled through a smartphone application, allowing users to monitor and adjust nursery conditions according to the seedlings’ needs during the early stages of growth.

“We designed the Smart Nursery Backpack for Sustainable Rattan Cultivation as a technology that can be controlled through a smartphone to operate its sensor system automatically,” said the project leader, Acep Purqon, Ph.D., a lecturer at ITB’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMNS).

“With this technology, local communities and rattan farmers can participate directly in supporting the germination process and caring for rattan seedlings during their critical first three months, directly from their homes,” he added.

In addition to being portable, the device was designed by integrating ecological systems engineering with principles of social sustainability. The presence of seedlings in residential spaces also introduces the concept of biophilic co-living, which seeks to strengthen the connection between people and nature by incorporating greenery into the home environment.

The nursery therefore serves not only as a facility for cultivating seedlings but also as part of the community’s daily involvement in preserving forest sustainability.

Developed by a Multidisciplinary ITB Team

The program was carried out by a team representing several faculties and schools at ITB. It was led by Acep Purqon, Ph.D., from FMNS ITB, with team members Deny Willy Junaidy, M.T., Ph.D., from the Faculty of Art and Design (FAD) ITB; Prof. Ramadhani Eka Putra, Ph.D., from the School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH) ITB; and ITB students.

The collaboration combined expertise in intelligent systems, product design, biology, ecology, and community empowerment. This multidisciplinary approach enabled the nursery technology to be developed not only from a technical perspective but also by considering user needs, environmental conditions, and the sustainability of its implementation within the community.

Before being introduced in Nupabomba, the ITB Smart-Nursery Backpack prototype was developed using three-dimensional printing technology at the Furniture and Living Lab, FAD ITB. The prototype was subsequently integrated with an application-based smart control system.

Involving Farmers and Rattan Industry Stakeholders

The implementation of the technology involved LPHD Nupabomba as the main partner responsible for activities in the field. The ITB team collaborated with Nupabomba Village Head Idral, Village Secretary Iful Daud, LPHD Nupabomba Chair Yen, local rattan-farming communities, and Kamardin, S.T., from PT Bamba Rattan Furniture in Palu.

Community members will participate in operating the backpacks, caring for the seedlings, and replanting the rattan in forest areas. Their involvement is expected to strengthen the community’s role in forest conservation while supporting the development of a community-based economy.

Deny Willy Junaidy, M.T., Ph.D., a lecturer at FAD ITB, said the involvement of industry stakeholders was essential to ensure that knowledge related to rattan management could be transferred and implemented comprehensively.

“The involvement of PT Bamba Rattan Furniture as a representative of small and medium-sized industries ensures that knowledge transfer takes place from farming communities to business partners. This creates a comprehensive transfer of knowledge from upstream to downstream,” he said.

The program was implemented in Nupabomba Village, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi, on July 24, 2026. It formed part of the ITB Community Service Program DPMK.PM-8-27-2026, entitled “Implementation of the Smart-Nursery Backpack Design for Sustainable Forest-to-Home Rattan Cultivation in Nupabomba Village, Tanantovea District, Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi.”

Through collaboration among ITB, LPHD Nupabomba, local communities, and small and medium-sized industry stakeholders, the Forest-to-Home concept is expected to become a new model for sustainable rattan cultivation that integrates technological innovation, community empowerment, tropical forest conservation, and the strengthening of the local economy.

With support from local governments, ministries, and other relevant institutions, the model also has the potential to be replicated in other rattan-producing regions across Indonesia.