JEMBER — Politeknik Negeri Jember (Polije) is strengthening the competencies of tour guides in Arjasa Village through the Farm-to-Table Storytelling program. The program encourages guides to highlight local food and cultural potential as part of the tourism experience.

The activity took place on September 25, 2026, involving the Arjasa Village government and local community. Polije implemented the program through the 2026 Community Service Program under the PNBP Assisted Village Scheme.

Arjasa Village Head Wasi’ah welcomed the collaboration to develop community-based tourism potential. Sugianto, S.Sos., M.Par., also served as the activity coordinator from Arjasa Village.

The Polije community service team was led by Gullit Tornado Taufan, S.Pd., M.Pd. The members were Khafidurrohman Agustianto, S.Pd., M.Eng., Julien Arief Wicaksono, S.Pd., M.Pd., Degita Danur Suharsono, S.Pd., M.Pd., and Rizqi Febrian Pramudita, S.Pd., M.Pd.

According to the Polije team, gastronomy tourism offers significant opportunities to introduce local food heritage to tourists. Beyond culinary products, visitors can learn about local ingredients, traditions, food preparation processes, and community culture.

“The Farm-to-Table Storytelling approach helps guides connect the food journey from its source to the dining table,” explained the Polije community service team.

Through this approach, guides do more than provide information about tourism destinations. They can also tell stories about ingredients, production, processing, and food presentation.

As a result, tourists can gain a more contextual experience while enjoying culinary products from Arjasa Village. They can also understand the connection between food, community, traditions, and local culture.

The Polije team explained that storytelling skills can enrich the way guides present the village’s gastronomic potential. Therefore, guides need to deliver food-related stories in an engaging, informative, and relevant way.

“This competency development is expected to enrich the tourism experience while strengthening the narrative of Arjasa Village’s local potential,” said the program team.

The program also supports the implementation of the Three Pillars of Higher Education through community service. Polije and Arjasa Village are working to strengthen community-based tourism human resources.