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

On Monday, 2 June, 2025, the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), once again held the Entrepreneurship Expo at the Prof. Harjono Danoesastro Auditorium, Faperta UGM. The 2025 Entrepreneurship Expo marked the second year of the event, which is part of the Entrepreneurship course practicum initiated by the lecturers and assistants of the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program (EPA). This year’s Expo became a platform for students to present their creativity and innovations in the food and beverage (FnB) business. Compared to last year, a greater variety of food and beverage products became the new highlight of the 2025 Entrepreneurship Expo.

The main goal of organizing this Entrepreneurship Expo is to implement various business ideas designed by students in the form of business model canvases and business plans they have developed during the practicum sessions. The Expo is designed as a space for students not only to understand the theories of entrepreneurship learned in lectures but also to directly apply them in real-life practice. By participating in this activity, students are expected to gain valuable experience in designing, preparing, and presenting a complete business concept. In addition, the event also aims to foster confidence, enhance creativity, and sharpen communication and teamwork skills—competencies that are crucial in the entrepreneurial world.

“We hope the 2025 Entrepreneurship Expo can ignite students’ enthusiasm to keep innovating, create new business opportunities, and nurture an entrepreneurial spirit that is resilient, independent, and ready to face challenges in the business world—especially through digital marketing initiatives that the students have carried out. All the food and beverage products offered are downstream products of agriculture, so we hope that more students will become entrepreneurs, particularly in the agricultural sector,” said Dr. Hani Perwitasari, S.P., M.Sc., EPA lecturer.

The agricultural downstream concept was reflected in the food and beverages presented at the 2025 Entrepreneurship Expo. All of the products sold at this event were made from fruits and vegetables, which are downstream agricultural products. One booth, for example, sold vegetable dim sum.

“This vegetable dim sum is an innovation from the usual meat-based dim sum, which we combined with vegetables as an agricultural downstream product. This event has had a big impact on us as it trained our entrepreneurial spirit—from planning and preparation to promotion and negotiation, which are closely related to what we study as EPA students,” explained one student.

Not only did the event serve as a platform for learning and business development for students, but it also reflected Faperta UGM’s efforts and commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Authors: Melvinna Rafida and Muhamad Fathan Mubina
Editor   : Desi Utami

Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Nezar Patria, delivered a keynote speech at the 2025 PPSMB Pionir Organik Motivation Seminar held by the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM) on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, at the Prof. Harjono Danoesastro Auditorium. The seminar, themed “Collaboration of Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Sustainable Agro-Maritime Transformation”, highlighted the importance of digital technology and AI mastery for the next generation of agricultural leaders in Indonesia.

The event was attended by 635 Amarta Muda, the official designation for new students of Faperta UGM, who were welcomed into nine academic programs: Agronomy, Aquaculture, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Soil Science, Aquatic Resource Management, Agricultural Microbiology, Agricultural Extension and Communication, Plant Protection, and Fishery Product Technology.

In his presentation, Nezar emphasized the significant contribution of the agricultural sector to Indonesia’s economy, amounting to Rp2,617 trillion or 12.53% of the national GDP. However, he also pointed out the sector’s ongoing challenges, particularly in food insecurity, limited digital adoption, and low exposure to AI technologies.

“Currently, the exposure of the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors to AI stands at only 1.34%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for all of us, especially agriculture students who will be the key drivers of future transformation,” Nezar stated.

He highlighted the vast potential of AI to enhance agricultural efficiency and productivity through various use cases, including market digitalization, precision farming and fishing, digital financing, smart resource monitoring and management, climate resilience, and supply chain optimization.

Despite its promise, AI implementation in developing countries like Indonesia faces serious obstacles, such as limited digital infrastructure, lack of private sector collaboration for innovation, data governance and security issues, and uneven distribution of digital talent. Nezar stressed the need for cross-sector synergy, among government, industry, academia, and communities, to build an inclusive and sustainable AI ecosystem.

“Indonesia will need 9 million digital talents in the near future. Agriculture students must be part of the solution. It’s not enough to rely on theory, you must equip yourselves with digital skills and a strong understanding of tech ethics,” he added.

Nezar also shared several initiatives led by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, including expanding internet access to 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost areas), developing 5G technology and the SATRIA satellite, and launching programs such as the Digital Talent Scholarship and Digital Leadership Academy, along with the formulation of a national AI roadmap.

In closing, Nezar encouraged Faperta UGM’s new students to actively engage in agro-maritime transformation through technological mastery, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a spirit of innovation to achieve inclusive and sustainable agriculture.

This seminar was a key part of the 2025 PPSMB Pionir Organik orientation series, designed not only to introduce campus life but also to equip new students with strategic insights to address national and global agricultural challenges.

The event also contributes to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 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.

Author: Agrit Kirana Bunda
Editor: Desi Utami