The Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), in collaboration with Kasetsart University, Thailand, held an open guest lecture for the UGM academic community and the general public on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The lecture was delivered online via Zoom Meeting by Dr. Chanita Boonmak from the Duckweed Holobiont Resource and Research Center (DHBC), Kasetsart University, Thailand.

The lecture, titled “Duckweed Microbiome: Unlocking Bacterial Potential for Environmental and Food Applications”, presented research findings from a collaborative project funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program.

Thailand is home to four duckweed genera: Spirodela polyrhiza, Landolita punctata, Lemna aequinoctialis, and Wolffia globosa. Dr. Chanita explained, “Duckweed’s nutritional content varies depending on its environment. It contains fiber, lignin, protein ranging from 7–45%, and starch between 14–44%, all of which can be utilized by humans.” In Thailand, duckweed is cultivated for various purposes: Wolffia grown in clean water is used as livestock feed to improve egg yolk quality, it acts as a carbon sequestration agent by rapidly absorbing CO₂, serves as a starch substrate for biofuel, and can be processed into bioplastics and polyester.

“Duckweed’s high protein content is influenced by environmental conditions. It’s a fast-growing aquatic plant that requires minimal space but offers significant benefits for water and land ecosystems,” she added. According to her research, duckweed can thrive on water surfaces such as rice fields, lotus ponds, drying canals, and natural ponds. It can also grow in polluted or wastewater environments, including urban areas and designated wastewater ponds.

To enhance duckweed growth in wastewater streams, Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) can be utilized. Common bacterial phyla found in association with duckweed include Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Agricultural waste, particularly from livestock farming, often contains high organic matter such as chicken manure, feed, feathers, and wash water, typically treated in anaerobic wastewater tanks. However, nitrogen removal can be challenging, requiring additional treatment such as facultative ponds planted with duckweed.

Desi Utami, S.P., M.Env.Sc., Ph.D., a lecturer in Agricultural Microbiology and coordinator of the guest lecture, emphasized that this regular international lecture series aims to broaden students’ knowledge, spark curiosity, and foster global collaboration for Faperta UGM.

Through partnerships with Kasetsart University and Hokkaido University, Faperta UGM is expanding its understanding of duckweed and its vast potential for sustainable applications. This initiative also supports the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 14: Life Below Water, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Writer: Octavia Riezqi Yusandra  
Editor: Desi Utami   
Documentation: Media Faperta

The Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) officially launched the 2025 Summer Course on Sustainable Tropical Agriculture with an online pre-course session held via Zoom on Friday, July 4, 2025. This session marked the beginning of the program, introducing participants to coffee cultivation and field experiences under the theme “The Journey of Coffee from Seed to Cup.”

The pre-course was attended by participants from diverse academic backgrounds, both domestic and international. It began with an overview of the program, which will run for over a month, from July 4 to August 8, 2025. The session also introduced the instructors and guest experts who will lead both the online classes and offline field trips. The teaching team includes Instructors, Teaching Assistants (TAs), and Experts with extensive experience in sustainable tropical agriculture.

This year’s summer course is offered in two formats: online and blended (hybrid). Therefore, the pre-course session played a crucial role in aligning participants’ expectations and explaining the use of the Learning Management System (LMS), which serves as the main platform for online learning. The session also outlined the types of assignments participants will complete throughout the program, including independent study, poster assignments, quizzes, and video presentations, all designed to deepen their understanding of tropical agriculture issues.

With the pre-course session completed, participants are now better prepared and more enthusiastic to engage in the full range of activities offered by the Summer Course on Sustainable Tropical Agriculture 2025. The program not only provides theoretical knowledge but also hands-on experience through field visits to coffee farms, agricultural lands, and coffee processing facilities in Yogyakarta and surrounding areas.

This initiative also reflects the Faculty of Agriculture UGM’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Writer: Noor Amelia Putri     
Editor: Desi Utami

Saturday, 5 July 2025 marked an important moment for the Gunung Gambar area, one of the assisted sites of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Faculty of Agriculture (Faperta UGM). On that day, a robusta coffee harvest festival was held, attended by local farmers, the Ngawen Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), UGM’s Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) students, the academic community of the Faculty of Agriculture, village officials, and the Regent of Gunungkidul, Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih. This harvest produced a total of 30 kilograms of robusta coffee.
In her remarks, the Regent of Gunungkidul, Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih, emphasized the importance of diversifying tourism potential in the region, one of which is through the development of coffee tourism in Gunung Gambar.

“Gunung Gambar must have differentiation, not only as a religious tourism destination, but also with a new image as a coffee tourism area. This region has great potential for coffee-based tourism, where coffee can be processed into practical and long-lasting instant products, as well as through establishing cafés that will become new attractions for visitors. Let us develop this together, from zero to hero, from nothing to something, through the collaboration of the community, the university, and the government,” said the Regent of Gunungkidul.

She also underlined the importance of fostering innovation and encouraging practical applications from universities, particularly the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, to ensure that the development of this area continues and provides tangible benefits for the community.

The collaboration in developing Gunung Gambar through research, education, and community empowerment is not new to Faperta UGM. Since 2018, the Department of Agronomy has initiated a conservative greening program in this area. This initiative was later continued in 2021 with the planting of thousands of robusta coffee seedlings on three hectares of land. With favorable agroclimatic conditions, coffee planted in Gunung Gambar can be harvested year-round, producing an average of one ton per year, and has already been marketed to various cafés across Gunungkidul.
One of the lecturers of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, Ir. Supriyanta, M.P., expressed full support for the development of Gunung Gambar.

“We fully support the effort to develop the potential of Gunung Gambar. We are also committed to continuously building networks and communities to come here as part of tourism development. In essence, we are fully supporting Gunung Gambar and its coffee farmers,” emphasized Supriyanta.

The selection of Gunung Gambar as a program site cannot be separated from its ecological potential as well as its cultural and historical values. The area stands as a real example of synergy between the community, the university, and the government in realizing the principles of tridharma, particularly in community service. Through KKN-PPM, UGM agriculture students are actively involved in designing and implementing a coffee-based ecosystem development rooted in cooperation and local wisdom—from planning, cultivation, and management to product downstreaming.

This activity reflects the Faculty of Agriculture UGM’s commitment to ensuring the sustainability of community service programs. The initiative also aligns with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 15: Life on Land.

Authors: Agrit Kirana Bunda, Anin Dita Rahmadiyanti
Editor: Desi Utami