The first Liquid Smoke Machine in Nusa Penida
Production of organic-based integrated pest control agents
as part of climate-adaptive agricultural management
Training on the production of liquid smoke was conducted as an effort to increase farmers’ capacity in producing organic-based integrated pest control agents, as part of agricultural management that is adaptive to climate change. This activity utilized a liquid smoke production machine designed and built directly by Mr. Bagus, who also served as the main resource person during the training.
Participants in the activity were farmers who are members of the Kedai Masyarakat Foundation and who attended the training with great enthusiasm.
During the presentation session, Mr. Bagus explained in detail the construction and working mechanism of the liquid smoke production machine, which consists of two main drums: a combustion drum and a condensation (cooling) drum. The combustion drum is equipped with a wire mesh that functions as a place to hold embers or a fire starter made from coconut shells.
Around the drum, rice husks are filled as the main raw material for combustion. The combustion process produces smoke, which is then channeled through a pipe into the condensation drum. Inside the condensation drum, there is a spiral iron pipe that functions as a smoke channel. The hot smoke entering the drum is cooled using water so that it turns into condensation, then drips and exits through a faucet as liquid smoke.
In the middle of the connecting pipe between the combustion drum and the condensation drum, there is a special pipe for disposing of tar or toxic smoke, so that the liquid smoke produced becomes safer and of better quality. From the combustion of approximately 20 kilograms of rice husks, this machine is able to produce about 3 to 7 liters of liquid smoke, with a production time of around 24 hours.
In addition to explaining the technical aspects of the machine, Mr. Bagus also presented the benefits of liquid smoke in the agricultural sector, including its use as a plant fertilizer spray, an organic pesticide, and a pest deterrent for termites and ants. The use of liquid smoke is expected to reduce farmers’ dependence on synthetic chemical materials and support more environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices.
As a follow-up to the training, it was agreed that the liquid smoke production machine is currently the only one available in the Nusa Penida area, and therefore needs to be utilized and managed optimally. Farmers are expected to actively disseminate the benefits of liquid smoke to other farmers so that understanding and utilization can expand further.
Going forward, liquid smoke is also planned to be developed as a product of farmer group enterprises. Farmers who are members of the Kedai Masyarakat Foundation and are interested in using the liquid smoke production results are welcome to collect it from the Learning House, with the condition that they refill the combustion drum with raw materials.
Considering the limited availability of rice husks in Nusa Penida, farmers are also directed to utilize alternative substitute materials, such as sawdust, peanut shells, candlenut shells, tamarind shells, and coconut shells, so that the liquid smoke production process can continue sustainably.
