Strengthening the Rambak Cracker Industry as an Instrument for Local Economic Development in Penanggulan Village, Pegandon District, Kendal Regency

This study investigates the strategic strengthening of the rambak cracker industry as an instrument for local economic development in Penanggulan Village, Pegandon District, Kendal Regency. Rural agro-processing enterprises have increasingly been recognized as territorially embedded production units capable of generating value-added outputs and absorbing surplus labor within localized economic systems. Field-based empirical observations reveal that rambak production in the village operates through household-managed processing systems characterized by traditional production techniques, informal managerial practices, and limited digital marketing adoption despite contributing significantly to community income generation. Data obtained from expert respondents were analyzed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process to identify strategic priority determinants influencing industrial competitiveness and sustainability. The results indicate that product innovation and quality improvement constitute the primary strategic priority, followed by digital marketing development and institutional partnership strengthening, while production capacity expansion remains comparatively less influential in enhancing market competitiveness. These findings suggest that adaptive innovation and digitally enabled commercialization pathways function as critical mechanisms for improving value-chain integration and expanding market accessibility among rural food-processing industries. Strengthening innovation ecosystems within the rambak sector may therefore contribute to employment creation, income diversification, and sustainable community-based economic transformation in rural production clusters.