Let Your Curiosity Move You in the Department of Communication Science and Community Development of FEMA IPB
It is not technology, but the art of human and humane management that is continuing challenge for executives in the 21st century. Human resources policy and human capital with enhanced competence will have direct impact on work performance especially in the midst of the "Information Age." As more and more organisations realise the value of informal knowledge in an increasingly competitive knowledge economy, there is a growing need for information professionals to sharpen their skills and assume the role of knowledge managers. In a continuously changing environment, organisations can no longer cope without continually developing their competencies and human resources. The guarantee is closely related to the "human" aspect, the collection of people, organizations and institutions, ranging from local, national, international and even global. Issues such as creativity, analytical and managerial skills, information seeking skills, IT and communications skills, friendliness and responsiveness were important and vital skills of the challenges of competent human resource needs.
There are a variety of issues currently emerging: sustainability of agricultural production (in the broad sense), institutions, poverty, appropriate technology, and issues of natural resource management and the environment. Technology and economy are not enough to be the solution to all these challenges and problems. But the role of communication experts, social and cultural experts and institutions, community development, extension workers, consultants, educators, and social workers are really required.
Talking about the success of the agricultural development program, they will be applicable and successful when the program is well communicated, accompanied by effective agricultural extensions, so that the program will be successful, the community is self-reliant and able to develop themselves for their own potential (nature and human capital).
Chairman of the Department of Communication Science and Community Development (SKPM) of the Faculty of Human Ecology of Bogor Agricultural University (FEMA IPB), Dr. Siti Amanah, stated that in the perspective of agricultural development (in the broad sense), having competent staff in the social field, communication, approach and extension method, community development, and ability as facilitator is really a requirement.
Agriculture and rural areas are two things that can not be separated, because agriculture as a business and culture of society, and until now 75 percent took place in rural areas. This is because the potential of villages that have more productive lands than urban areas. In addition, agriculture and rural areas face significant challenges such as reduced productive land, "brain drain" from rural and agriculture, and the impacts of climate change affecting agriculture and people's livelihoods. This requires innovation for communication at the farmers, organizations, government and private levels so that agricultural development can continuously be implemented to meet the needs of the population.
Thus, for the successful implementation of the agricultural development programs (in the broad sense: agriculture, fisheries and forestry), roles of various sectors are needed. In this case not only the government as a stakeholder role, but also the public, private or business and educational institutions.
Governments need to formulate and implement policies to promote agriculture through careful data-based and fact-based analyses to ensure that policies are "compatible" with the conditions of society, environmental physical conditions, and in accordance with the development objectives themselves. Universities certainly have important roles to play to solve every problem that exist in the communities, especially from the social, economic, cultural, technological, and innovation.
To that end, she explained, the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB established in 2005 seeks to develop social science (including sociology, communications, counseling, population, political ecology, agraria, gender and development in an effort to develop the community (engaged in agriculture, fresh and marine fisheries, Livestock, and forestry) through holistic social innovation (technical and non technical).
The Department of SKPM is supported by faculty members who have various background of socio-economic aspects offered by IPB, with specific interests related to communication and community development residing in various ecosystem areas with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
The Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB had been granted A accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (BAN), the Department is the only department under IPB offering courses to produce both the Undergraduates (S1) and the Graduates program, (master and doctoral programs) who are able to carry out research and develop the social sciences required for environmentally-based agricultural development in Broad sense.
The supporting facilities of the Department's academic activities can support the learning process effectively. In addition to class rooms there are also supporting facilities, such as internet access from IPB, AGRI-FM radio station, Green TV Studio, SKPM Department website, IPB center library, discussion room in PLASMA Fema, reading room and communities in partner villages .
Competitions play a role in motivating students to perform and excel and offer a lot more reward than just the winning prize. So far, student of the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB have involved in various competitions. They involved not only on the academic skills, but also on the non-academic skills locally, nationally and internationally. The Department records showed that some Mahasiswa Berprestasi (Student Achievements) were made by M. Haris Zamaludin S as the 1st Winner of Mahasiswa Berprestasi at IPB level and 3rd Winner of Mahasiswa Berprestasi at National Level; M. Irfan Rachman, 1st Winner of Solo Seriosa Mixed Category The 8th Espent; Ayu Mashari Amelia was selected as Wakatobi Tourism Promotion Ambassador; and Fevi Rahma Dwi as the best Farmers Companion Lady in UPSUS 2016 Program integrated with Thematic Real Work Lecture (KKN-T), and many more.
Since 2016, two scientific journals of the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB, Journal of Sodality and Journal of Extension, have been accredited by Kemenristekdikti, as of July 2017 both journals have been registered in DOAJ. In addition, S1 students of the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB, whose manuscripts met the criterions set by the reviewers specifically will be published in the Journal of Communication Science and Development Society (JSKPM). This bi-monthly Journal, consist of 7-15 pages specifically will issue the research results of the S1 students of the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB. Journals may publish other scientific works of students as long as they fall under the subject coverage of the Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB, namely communication, counseling, agrarian studies, population, ecology, politics, rural sociology, community development. The Department of SKPM of FEMA IPB also publishes other scientific journal, Journal of Rural Indonesia (JoRI).
Dr. Siti Amanah stated that the graduates of the Undergraduate Program of KPM IPB are not only able to design and implement strategies, methods and techniques of communication and community development, but also able to encourage social participation of the empowerment of the communities for their economic and political development. "Many alumni of the Undergraduate Program of KPM IPB are currently working as journalists in television, newspapers, advertising, companies, government agencies and State-owned Business Entreprice (BUMN). Even some agencies of the international job markets they expressed their satisfaction with the performance shown by S1 graduates KPM IPB, "she said. ( Wied)
