Digital Extension Society for Agriculture Application Universitas Gadjah Mada (Desa Apps UGM) has participated in ICTforAg 2024 annual convening where agrifood system stakeholders, technology experts, and enthusiasts gather to share knowledge, find solutions, and form partnerships to address challenges in agrifood systems across low and middle-income countries. The event was held on 28^th-30^th May 2024 simultanously in 5 countries: New Delhi (India), Nairobi (Kenya), Texcoco (Mexico), Philippines; and Washington DC (USA). It also took place online via Zoom. This becomes a great opportunity to introduce Desa Apps UGM to the global society, specifically concering about digital agriculture that has been burgeoning issues within the last decade.

This year, the annual convening was attended by 314 participants from Asia and Pacific, US, Europe, and Africa with 103 sessions in total. In this occasion, Desa Apps UGM shared about its experience in managing programs related to digital agriculture and developing platform for digital extension. The topic of presentation was “How UGM’s Digital Extension Society for Agriculture Developed A Successful Digital Extension Platform ‘Lentera DESA’ To Smallholder Farmers In Indonesia” delivered by Nurul Trya Wulandari as the Operations Manager of Desa Apps UGM and Anthony Harm Spoor as the expert partner since 2021.

Desa Apps UGM developed an Android-based mobile app ‘Desa Apps’ in 2017 (see: https://desa-apps.ugm.ac.id/). Then, in 2021 with support from PUM (Programma Uitzending Managers) Netherlands Senior Experts and PT. Wijaya Karya, it developed a website-based platform ‘Lentera DESA’ that provides features for online training in agriculture-related topics, including fisheries and animal husbandry (see: https://lenteradesa.id/). Moreover, Desa Apps UGM uses social media to disseminate information and knowledge about research and innovation in agriculture. It aims to help farmers and extension workers grab information in a more efficient way regardless time and geographical boundaries through internet and their devices. Aside from those, it also develops ‘Bincang Desa’ to facilitate interactive discussions among farmers, experts, and extension workers.

Nurul and Harm also talked about Desa Apps UGM’s challenges and strategies within the last 4 years to develop. Partnerships, experts’ support from the university, and using data-generated decisions were keys to keep sustain. Data becomes pivotal, so this organisation uses all information from its platform’s database, social media’s data insight, and other supporting data. In this presentation, they also shared about how Desa Apps UGM introduced a blended learning for agricultural extension combining conventional or field visit and online methods using ‘Lentera DESA’. It was found that field facilitators were key to help farmers adopt digital technology. For further information, the full recorded presentation is accessible via this link: http://ugm.id/ICTforAgDesaAppsUGM.

Reported by: Nurul Trya W.

For the first time, Faculty of Agriculture UGM and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) conducted collaborative study focusing on nematodes. This was stated by Prof. Dr. Ir. Siwi Indarti, M.P., Professor in Agricultural Nematology, as the leader of the research team.

“After years of partnership between Faculty of Agriculture UGM and ACIAR in various fields, the study on nematodes is carried out for the first time. We believe that nematodes have a significant impact on decreasing agricultural crop production, so focusing of our research project which related to accurate and precise identification can make disease management becomes more effective to prevent transmission by nematodes to other areas,” explained Prof. Siwi.

One of the agendas of the research project was the root-knot nematode identification workshop which took place on Tuesday-Thursday, 27-30 May 2024, at Faculty of Agriculture UGM. In this agenda, several countries involved in the research project also participated, such as delegations from Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia. The participants showed high enthusiasm to learn from each other and share knowledge as well as experience in identifying root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.).

Senior principal nematologist from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Queensland Government, Australia, Dr. Anthony Barry Pattison, attended the workshop and explained that the field of nematology is a field of science that is still developing with many challenges in it. Hence, the workshop became an effort to disseminate knowledge and upskill all researchers involved in identifying root-knot nematodes using different techniques.

“This workshop aims to upskill all participants in applying traditional morphological technique and molecular technique to identify root-knot nematodes,” Tony explained.

He hoped that through the workshop activities, researchers from each country will be able to carry out nematode identification techniques in their home countries and have a better understanding of the nematodes. According to him, these ones will also have an impact on increasing mutual awareness related to food security.

Dean of Faculty of Agriculture UGM, Ir. Jaka Widada, M.P., Ph.D., who delivered an opening remark of the workshop appreciated this activity.

“Prof. Siwi is an expert in the field of nematodes who is very eligible to share her knowledge at this event. Her latest research involving artificial intelligent to identify the distribution of nematodes is one of the advances in research findings that can be shared to the participants at this event,” said the Dean.

Partnership between Faculty of Agriculture UGM, ACIAR as the financial support partner, and the Queensland Government, was a tangible manifestation of the efforts of all parties in achieving SDGs, including SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Hanita Athasari Zain

Translator: Sha

Editor: Desi Utami

Photo: Media Faperta

Faculty of Agriculture UGM collaborate with Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in conducting an in-depth research project on the control of fruit flies in mangoes through area-wide management (AWM) system approach. The project, which has been conducted since 2017, was completed by an International Training Workshop on Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 May  2024 at AGLC Building, Faculty of Agriculture UGM. The event was attended by participants from 12 different countries involved in the project.

Dr. Stefano de Faveri as a project leader of ACIAR Australia said that the topic of fruit fly control is very important to be researched because it greatly impacts mango production carried out by farmers. If the control of fruit flies is carried out effectively, fruit production will be greater and could lead to wider export opportunities.

“The core of this workshop is to be upskilling part of the research project aimed at the Asia Pacific region. We are trying to expand our reach in helping other countries with the same fruit fly problem,” Stefano explained.

Besides Stefano, ACIAR Australia representative who also attended the workshop were Mikayla Hyland-Wood as the research officer in horticulture. Mikayla considered UGM as a very important partner for collaboration with ACIAR, especially because UGM has a big role in field research activities, especially related to control of fruit flies carried out by farmers in Indonesia.

The research team from UGM for this project is led by Prof. Ir. Y. Andi Trisyono, M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor at The Department of Plant Protection UGM, with his team including Dr. Suputa, S.P., M.P., and several students from the Master and Doctoral degrees. Prof. Andi explained that this workshop is the end point of the research project which will be officially completed in August 2024. However, Faculty of Agriculture UGM and ACIAR have a plan to continue the project for the next five years.

“Currently, we have been planning a follow-up project and the proposal is in the final stage for decision making. Hopefully, this follow-up project can be carried out for a period of five years from 2024 to 2029,” said Prof. Andi.

Prof. Andi added, student involvement in this research project was focused on two master’s degree students, where they are also supported in research finance by ACIAR. The two students are students of Master in Pest Science study program; Valentina Eerline with the research titled “Diversity and Abundance of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Three Different Ecosystems in Sleman, Yogyakarta”; and Riya Fatma Sari with the research titled “Decision Making on the Use of Pesticides by Mango Farmers who Practice Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management and Conventional Farmers”.

Partnership between Faculty of Agriculture UGM and ACIAR involving students showed joint efforts in achieving the SDGs, including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Author: Hanita Athasari Zain

Translator: Sha

Editor: Desi Utami

Photo: Media Faperta