The Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), welcomed a visit from lecturers and students of the Seed Technology Study Program, Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic (PPNP), West Sumatra. The visit was part of a field trip and industrial tour involving 22 students accompanied by two lecturers. During their time at the UGM Department of Agronomy, the PPNP delegation was introduced to a range of seed technology tools at the Seed Technology Sub-Laboratory and biotechnology equipment at the Breeding Sub-Laboratory, including advanced DNA and RNA analysis tools for extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and further analysis.
Head of the Department of Agronomy UGM, Rani Agustina Wulandari, S.P., M.P., Ph.D., emphasized that this visit served as an excellent opportunity for PPNP students to deepen their understanding of seed technology, plant breeding, and biotechnology. The visit, held on Monday, 26 August 2024, was attended by other key faculty members, including Prof. Dr. Rudi Hari Murti, S.P., M.P., Head of the Seed Technology Laboratory; Prof. Dr. Ir. Aziz Purwantoro, M.Sc., Head of the Master’s Program in Plant Breeding; and Agus Budi Setiawan, S.P., M.Sc., Ph.D., a member of the smart farming management team at UGM Faculty of Agriculture.
Several topics were explored during the visit, including agro-innovation, seed technology activities, plant breeding, smart farming, and biotechnology.
“Given their purpose of learning more about seed technology practices, plant breeding, smart farming, and biotechnology, we guided them through our laboratories and introduced them to the smart farming melon greenhouse located atop the Rachmiwaty Building,” Rani explained.
Rani also noted that during the discussion session, the PPNP students expressed a strong interest in pursuing master’s studies in the Plant Breeding program at the UGM Department of Agronomy. They received detailed explanations about the department’s facilities, educational activities, and accomplishments, along with the new student registration process for the Faculty of Agriculture UGM.
Following this visit, both institutions discussed potential collaboration, starting with opportunities for further studies at the UGM Faculty of Agriculture, both for master’s and doctoral programs, as well as training sessions provided by the Faculty of Agriculture UGM for the Seed Technology Study Program at PPNP. Both UGM and PPNP expressed their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including: SDG 1:No Poverty, SDG 2:Zero Hunger, SDG 4:Quality Education, SDG 10:Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17:Partnerships for the Goals
Writer: Hanita Athasari Zain, Ghorizatu Shofra
Editor: Desi Utami
Photo: Documentation by UGM Department of Agronomy