Discussing the Development of Socio-Economic and Agricultural Political Studies
Various national agricultural problems accumulate. The increasing concern about the farmer welfare needs a political power for its solution, in addition to the decreased interest of the students in taking agricultural studies. To such a situation of agricultural sector, the government responds by restructuring the agricultural faculty of higher education into two study programs, namely agribusiness and agro-technology. Responding to this, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Dr. Ernan Rustiadi is trying to collect opinions about the development of social-economic and agricultural political studies. "The discussion of Voice of Darmaga is this time to raise again the development of socio-economic and agricultural political studies, which were one combined under the Faculty of Management Economics," said Dr. Ernan, Thursday (24/12).
Former Minister of Agriculture, Sjarifudin Baharsjah said it is reasonable if the higher education curriculum from time to time should be revisited, since universities have a responsibility to generate intellectuals that will meet the need for Human Resources (HR) at present and in the future. "The need is not something static because the public and all its aspects are always changing. Not only in developing countries that still require more educated human resources to build their communities," said Sjarifudin.
Responding to the government plan to change the faculty of agriculture, Sjarifudin advises that we are not caught up in making cosmetic changes in the curriculum, as it will not be relevant to the needs of agricultural development, but it may give a wrong and harmful direction. "With regard to the review of the socioeconomic curriculum, I propose an input /suggestion that at this time it is urgent for IPB graduates to take a good control of the political field of agriculture. So many problems that currently hinder the development of agriculture are caused by the absence of a clear agricultural politics," explained Sjarifudin. Besides, there is no research on the politics of agriculture that could be taken as the basis of considerations by the policy makers.
Head of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (PSP3) in the Institution for Research and Community Service (LPPM) IPB, M. Dr.Lala Kolopaking gave major notes when advancing agriculture and rural areas, in addition to considering the social and economic poverty, and took into account the conservation or improvement of natural resources. "When talking about the realm of socio-economic studies of agriculture, we need to put agriculture in the political context of development (central and local). We need to develop institutional aspects and legal advocacy for farmers and strengthen the management of agricultural resource-based businesses," continued Dr. Lala. Present in the discussion were a number of professors and doctors from various faculties in PB such as Prof. Indrajaya, Prof.Supiandi Sabiham, Prof. Sjafrida Manuwoto, Dr.Gunawan Wiradi, Dr.Setia Hadi, Dr.Satyawan Sunito, Dr.Melani Abdul Kadir Sunito, and Dr.Dadang. (Almost)
