[Unpad.ac.id, 15/04/2016] Center for Agricultural Research and Development (Balitbangtan) was encouraged to work closely with various universities. This cooperation needs to be done so that Indonesian agriculture becomes modern, not just by applying technology to improve productivity, but also by providing benefits for the whole society.
“Many agricultural research at universities have not been implemented to community,” said Vice Chairman of Commission IV of House of Representatives Ir. E. Herman Khaeron, M.Si., speaking at a seminar and focus group discussion “Building Partnership Research, Assessment and Dissemination in Order to Support Accelerating Modern Agriculture” at Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel, Bandung, Friday (4/15) ,
This Seminar and FGD is held in cooperation with Faculty of Agriculture Unpad and Balitbang. In addition to Herman, there were two other speakers: Head of Balitbangtan Dr. Ir. Muhammad Syakir, M.S. and Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran Dr. Ir. Sudarjat, M.P. 100 participants attended the event including Dean of Faculty of Agriculture from all around Indonesia, academics, SKPD officials, and researchers from Balitbangtan. The event was officially opened by Rector Prof. Tri Hanggono Achmad.
According to Herman, campus is deemed effective as a medium to deliver variety of innovations. This partnership was not only personally built by one or more researchers, but by the premises of higher education as an institution.
“This is the reason we in the House insists for partnerships with variety of disciplines,” he added.
The inevitability of modern agriculture, said Herman, is to address crucial issue in agricultural systems Indonesia and should be a common goal of both governments, agriculture, to academics.
Therefore, future research partnership is not simply ending in reporting or worksheet, but ultimately producing innovation. The technology, according to Syakir, can be managed effectively and efficiently, environmentally friendly, and able to provide welfare society.
Strengthening innovation sector through cooperation with universities could also be supported by strengthening of other sectors. Herman said that increasing incentives for researchers must also be considered in order to encourage more researchers are able to produce innovation.
In relation to this cooperation Sudrajat said that universities have similar role in management of modern agriculture. “All colleges holds similar role. There is no rules in which college is most entitled, “said Sudarjat.
The most important thing from this cooperation is that each college posseses leading commodity research focus based on its locality thefore cooperation between universities in the region with Balitbang will be focused on an excellent product.
“Innovation should be clear and focused, not stagnant and moves in circle,” said Sudarjat. *
Reported by Arief Maulana / eh
