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

Agro Digital & Innovation Week “PADI JATENG 2025” was held on 18-22 July 2025, at the Soropadan Agro Center, Temanggung Regency, Central Java Province. One of the main focuses of this event was agricultural digitalization, which is increasingly needed to improve efficiency and productivity in the agribusiness sector. The series of programs at PADI JATENG 2025 was packaged with various engaging activities.

“Agriculture in English is Agri and culture. Therefore, we designed this agro week to also showcase cultural elements that remain inseparable from farmers’ lives,” emphasized Opik Mahendra, S.P., M.Sc., Head of Bapeltan Central Java.

On the second day, 19 July 2025, a series of agricultural digitalization workshops was held, featuring speakers from Desa Apps, Faculty of Agriculture UGM, who presented on digital information technology in agriculture. Desa Apps UGM is an innovative platform developed by the Faculty of Agriculture UGM to support digital-based agricultural management at the village level. Through this application, farmers can access information such as cultivation techniques, market opportunities, and harvest reporting more easily and in a structured way. In addition to Desa Apps, UGM also provides assistance through online training programs organized via the Lentera DESA website. Through this platform, farmers can join agricultural training sessions for free, anytime and anywhere.

During the Agricultural Digitalization Workshop, participants were highly enthusiastic in joining the hands-on session of creating training accounts on the Lentera DESA website, which is part of the Desa Apps platform. Participants actively tried various features and learned how to make use of this technology to support their farming activities. The strong participation reflected the high interest of farmers and agribusiness actors in adopting digital technology. Through this initial step, farmers are expected to engage more intensively in training activities to enhance agricultural human resource capacity toward Indonesia Emas 2045.

The contribution of Desa Apps UGM at Agro Digital & Innovation Week “PADI JATENG 2025” offered real solutions for the agricultural transformation in Central Java. With digital technology, agricultural productivity is expected to increase while also making farm management easier for farmers. Collaboration between academia, government, and the community becomes the key to the success of this innovation in supporting sustainable agricultural development. This initiative also reflects the tangible contribution of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM to Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Authors: Rani Nur Rochim, Anin Dita Rahmadiyanti
Editor: Desi Utami
Photo: Desa Apps UGM

A total of 635 Amarta Muda, the designation for new students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM) officially took part in the opening of the Pionir Organik 2025 event, held on Wednesday, 6 August, 2025, at the Fisheries Field of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM.

The event was symbolically opened through the rotation of the “Harmoni Cakra Abhipraya” gear by the Dean of Faperta UGM, Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D., accompanied by the faculty leadership team, including the Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Dyah Weny Respatie, S.P., M.Si., Coordinator of the PPSMB Pionir Organik 2025 Cluster, Dr. Firdausi Nur Azizah, S.P., and General Coordinator of Pionir Organik 2025, Adiyatma Tunjung R.

In his remarks, the Dean expressed appreciation and motivational messages to all the new students. “Welcome, Amarta Muda. You are among the chosen ones who succeeded in becoming part of Faperta UGM. Agriculture is a key sector in Indonesia’s development, and you are the future leaders who will safeguard national food security. In facing the threat of a global food crisis, your role is central. Let us synergize, study wholeheartedly, and support one another as we grow together,” he said.

A similar message was conveyed by Dr. Dyah Weny Respatie, who warmly welcomed the new students.

“Thank you for choosing Faperta UGM as your place to grow. Here, you will not only be trained as experts in agriculture and fisheries but also be given opportunities to develop your interests and talents in both academic and non-academic fields. We hope you can make real contributions to the environment, society, the nation, and the country,” she added.
The symbolic opening involved seven gears carried by representatives of Student Department Associations (HMD) and Semi-Independent Bodies (BSI) as a representation of student self-development units. The seven gears embodied key values that serve as the guiding principles of Amarta Muda: participation, collaboration, innovation, sustainability, technology, individual intelligence, and environmental awareness. This symbol also reflected the grand theme of Pionir Organik 2025: “Synergy of Amarta, Transformation of the Nation’s Agriculture.”

Coordinator of the PPSMB Pionir Organik 2025 Cluster, Dr. Firdausi Nur Azizah, explained that this series of activities was designed to introduce new students to the world of agriculture and fisheries in a comprehensive manner. Besides introducing the academic system and various institutional components of Faperta, the program also instills adaptive, critical, and supportive values in facing future challenges in the agricultural sector.
“We want to equip Amarta Muda with a holistic understanding of their academic journey, while also fostering a collaborative spirit and readiness to create sustainable, technology-based agriculture,” Firdausi explained.

Pionir Organik 2025 involved 105 student committee members who dedicated their time, energy, and ideas to welcome and accompany the new students. The event was also attended by faculty leaders, including the dean, vice dean, heads and secretaries of departments, heads of study programs, and the head of the academic office.

The entire series of activities supports the Faculty of Agriculture UGM’s commitment to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Authors : Agrit Kirana Bunda and Muhamad Fathan Mubina
Editor : Desi Utami