The Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM), in collaboration with PT Indomarco Prismatama (Indomaret) and Sleman Millennial Farmers, held a socialization event for the Community Economic Development and Empowerment Program on Wednesday, 8 January 2025. This event followed the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) which took place the day before at the Faculty of Agriculture UGM.

The event was held at the Hall of the Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Office of Sleman Regency and attended by various stakeholders, including representatives from Indomaret, the UGM Faculty of Agriculture mentoring team, Sleman Agriculture Office officials, Bank Indonesia, and 60 members of the Sleman Millennial Farmers group.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Subejo, SP, M.Sc., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, and Cooperation at the Faculty of Agriculture UGM, highlighted the importance of a pentahelix collaboration. “Triple helix collaboration between government, universities, and society is no longer sufficient. We now need to expand this approach to a pentahelix by involving the private sector. If papaya production can be optimized to meet the demand of the Yogyakarta and Central Java regions, it will have a tremendous impact,” said Prof. Subejo.

This initiative aims to strengthen collaboration in California Papaya cultivation, with a target of creating 4.4 hectares of productive land capable of consistently supplying 8 tons of Grade A California Papaya per month to Yogyakarta and Central Java.

“The grading system for papayas is intended to maintain product quality and enhance customer satisfaction. Through this collaboration, Indomaret hopes to build a long-term partnership. This initiative is also part of Indomaret’s commitment to price stability and farmer welfare,” stated Feki Octavianus, Microeconomics Executive Director at PT Indomarco Prismatama.

Purwanto Wahyudi, Microeconomics Project Executive at Indomaret, shared insights from a successful previous project involving seedless watermelon, where Indomaret absorbed 5 tons per week from Sleman’s Millennial Farmers. He expressed optimism that the same enthusiasm and commitment could be brought into the California Papaya initiative, aiming for a consistent monthly supply of 8 tons.

“Our hope is that this program not only boosts agricultural production but also empowers local communities and helps address unemployment issues. We aim to form strong farmer groups capable of producing and supplying high-quality products consistently,” Purwanto stated.

UGM academic also contributed to the event by providing practical insights for farmers. Dody Kastono, S.P., M.P., discussed the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for cultivating California Papaya to ensure high-quality yields. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining fruit shape during transport to preserve quality. Meanwhile, Andi Syahid Muttaqin, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D., shared perspectives on climate change-related challenges in agriculture. Using weather trend data, he explained the need to anticipate the effects of El Niño and La Niña in cultivation practices.

Farmers responded enthusiastically to the program. Taufik Mawaddani, a representative of Sleman Millennial Farmers, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, which was echoed by other farmers who showed interest in joining the program, especially with proper mentoring and support.

The event also received strong appreciation and support from local government officials. Ir. Suparmono, M.M., Head of the Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Office of Sleman Regency, expressed his hopes for the collaboration. “With this cooperation between UGM and Indomaret, we hope Sleman’s Millennial Farmers can accelerate the growth of their agricultural businesses, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the agricultural sector in Sleman,” he said.

This initiative also supports the Faculty of Agriculture UGM’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Writer: Agrit Kirana Bunda, Ghorizatu Shofra
Editor: Desi Utami
Documentation: Andrianto Ansari

On Tuesday, 25 February 2025, the National Chamber of Agriculture (NCA), the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM) held a Specified Skill Worker (SSW) Socialization and Consultation on Working in the Japanese Agricultural Sector which took place at the Prof. Hardjono Danoesastro Auditorium, UGM Faculty of Agriculture. This activity was intended to attract the enthusiasm of participants who were interested in working in the agricultural sector, especially in Japan.

The seminar was opened with remarks from the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D. who expressed his hopes for the event.

“I advise young people who will apply to work in Japan, this is a fortune. Because there are several things that can be learned, namely honesty, discipline, responsibility, and hard work. So it is hoped that they can apply these things better and be useful for the nation and state,” said the Dean.

This socialization also presented representatives of agricultural sector agencies, namely Shin Kurotani from the National Chamber of Agriculture (NCA), Ministry of Agriculture of Indonesia, Dr. Ir Siti Munifah, M.Si and Dr. Bambang Sudarmanto, S.Pt, M.P. as Director of the Yogyakarta Magelang Agricultural Development Polytechnic.

This event is an important factor for the sustainability of the agricultural sector for the development of superior human resources in order to open up to cooperation with various countries, one of which is Japan. Especially for the regeneration of agricultural actors, with 60% of the productive population in Indonesia who must be given broad opportunities to develop the Agricultural Sector in Indonesia.

This socialization not only provides new insights, but also great opportunities for participants who want to contribute to the Indonesian agricultural sector. The presentation of materials on the young farmer sending program in Japan, scholarships to continue studying in Japan, individual consultation sessions with Japanese Companies, as well as the introduction profile of agricultural entrepreneurs and the One Organization Job Training Institute are expected to inspire participants to contribute significantly to the Indonesian Agricultural Sector.

Through this activity, Faperta UGM shows its commitment to achieving the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 15: Life on Land, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Melvinna Rafida

Editor: Desi Utami

As part of the peak event for Lustrum X, the Keluarga Mahasiswa Ilmu Tanah (KMIT) of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Faperta UGM) held a talkshow themed “Indonesia and the World’s Food Barn in 2045” at the DPD RI Building in Yogyakarta. The talkshow discussed Indonesia’s crucial role in ensuring global food security, featuring Arini Wahyu Utami, M.Sc., Ph.D. (lecturer in the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program at Faperta UGM) and Elki Setiyo Hadi (Walhi Yogyakarta) as speakers.

The talkshow was moderated by Nur Ainun Harlin Jennie Pulungan, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D., a lecturer in the Soil Science Study Program at Faperta UGM. With 100 participants from various study programs, faculties, and universities, the event successfully attracted students with its relevant theme on current issues.

In her presentation, Arini Wahyu Utami, M.Sc., Ph.D., or Arini, outlined several challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed to make Indonesia the world’s food barn by 2045.

“There are several challenges and opportunities that need to be carefully considered to realize Indonesia as the world’s food barn, such as unpredictable climate change, agricultural technology, and access to markets,” explained Arini.

During Elki Setiyo Hadi’s session, he added strategies that can be applied to achieve Indonesia as the world’s food barn by 2045.

“It is important for us to implement strategies such as the development of agricultural technology, improvement of infrastructure, and access to markets. It is also crucial to involve both the government and private sectors in the development of the food sector in Indonesia, such as through policies, investments, and development programs,” he stated.

Both speakers thoroughly discussed the challenges, strategies, and the roles of all stakeholders in achieving the target of making Indonesia the world’s food barn. In this context, collaboration between the government, academics, and business actors is crucial to creating an ecosystem that supports the growth of the agricultural sector. Furthermore, educating farmers on sustainable agricultural practices must be strengthened so they can adapt to climate change and maximize their agricultural outputs. These efforts will not only support the achievement of the 2045 food barn target but also contribute to the welfare of farmers in general.

This talkshow is a demonstration of the Faculty of Agriculture UGM students’ commitment to supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Karina Nisa Intan Kusuma & Agrit Kirana Bunda

Editor: Hanita Athasari Zain

Photo: KMIT UGM Documentation