“Research Cooperation Beyond Food” Between IPB and Wageningen University

The Research Center for Biological Resources and Biotechnology (PPSHB) IPB and Research Centre (WUR) of Wageningen University, the Netherlands are in a partnership to conduct research on "Growth, development and production of Jatropha curcas in Indonesia." In this study, the influence of interaction between genotype, environment and management on the productivity of Jatropha curcas will be examined. The researchers involved are Prof. Ken Giller (WUR), Dr. Raymond Jongscaap (WUR), Dr. Maja Slingerland (WUR) and Dr. Sony Suharsono (PPSHB IPB). This is part of the interdisciplinary umbrella research entitled: "JATROBA: The commoditization of an alternative biofuel crop in Indonesia", funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) in the program "Agriculture beyond Food". This study will proceed from 2011 to 2013, involving a doctoral student from the WUR. To formulate the strategy and methodology of the study, Dr. Maja Slingerland and the doctoral students of WUR (Juliana Tjew) had some dis
cussion with the Head of PPSHB IPB (Dr. Suharsono) and staff of PT Jedo in Darmaga Campus of IPB on February 9, 2011. PT Jedo is a Japanese private company that produces jatropha oil fuel. The discussion was followed by the visit of WUR team together with Dr. Suharsono to one of the jatropha plantations managed by PT Jedo in Muarabinuangen, Pandeglang Regency, Banten Province, the site that would be used as one of the experiment areasl on February 12, 2011. In addition to being at PT Jedo, this research will also be conducted in the jatropha plantations managed by PT Joro in Sumbawa (NTB) and APEX (Asian People Exchange) in Sikka (NTT).

Apart from the cooperation on Jatroba, WUR also works with IPB in the "Scientific Program Indonesia-The Netherlands = SPIN" with the research topic "High Quality Solanaceous vegetables by Exploration of Natural Biodiversity (IndoSol)" for the period of 2007-2012. At present, IPB together with LIPI, Research Institute of Plantation Biotechnology, ICRAF and WUR is working on a full-proposal for oil palm research "Towards sustainable and equitable palm oil" to be submitted to the program of "Interdisciplinary Research and Education Fund" after the pre-proposal was approved. Of the 13 pre-proposals selected, only six are called upon to write full-proposals. Of the 6 full-proposals, three will be approved for funding.