These Two Regencies Cooperate with IPB to Develop Local Agricultural Potential
Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) is not only at the forefront of research and innovation, but also in terms of community service. For decades, IPB has partnered with local governments in various parts of Indonesia. This time IPB cooperated with South Sumatra's West Sumatra and North Kolaka Districts through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) bridged by the Directorate of IPB Alumni Cooperation and Relations, in the Rector’s Meeting Room, Dramaga IPB Campus (14/9) .
The Rector of IPB, Dr. Arif Satria in his speech explained the various innovations that have been felt by the community and those being developed by IPB. Like the People's Animal Husbandry School (SPR) which has been present in six provinces, Sasumuzi (Multi Nutrition Bread Sagon), 3S rice with a productivity of 13.4 tons / hectare, far exceeds the national average of only 5 tons / hectare, as well as various other innovations.
Dr. Arif Satria added that in various innovations that have been created, IPB certainly faces many challenges. "IPB faces difficulties in producing the results of this innovation on a large scale. Therefore, the role of local government becomes very important. IPB also continues to invite the best students from the South Solok and North Kolaka regions, so they can bring useful knowledge back to the region through the Regional Envoy Scholarship (BUD)," said the Rector.
South Solok Regent, H. Muzni Zakaria M.Eng hopes that this memorandum of understanding can further strengthen the commitment of both South Solok District and IPB to continue to take part and work and improve the welfare of the community, especially in the agricultural sector.
He said, the South Solok Regency government welcomed the collaboration. South Solok has fertile land suitable for agriculture, plantations, and fisheries. As for tourism, South Solok also has several sites that are well-known and recognized by the Indonesian government, one of which is the most popular traditional village.
Similar to South Solok Regent, Drs. H. Nurrahman Umar MH as the Regent of North Kolaka also expressed his happiness to be able to establish cooperation with IPB. For him, this signing was not only a means of friendship but also a concrete step of the hopes that were expected by both the people of North Kolaka and IPB.
"We are approximately 80 percent living in the agricultural sector in the broadest sense. We are aware of the development for both technological and natural development, must be in tandem with the development of human resources. We view IPB as a place of experts who can help us respond to various challenges, we believe that problems must be solved by experts," he said.
According to him, the agricultural challenges faced by farmers in the region in recent times are shifting periods and rainfall as well as the thickness of the soil that changes with the presence of patchouli plants that suck up a lot of soil humus. In addition, North Kolaka Regency also needs guidance and direction from IPB, especially in terms of relations to markets to manage agriculture from seed to marketing. "Hopefully innovation, human resources and networks owned by IPB can help regions to develop more advanced," he concluded. (FM)
