IPB Hosts International Symposium on Food Security

IPB in cooperation with the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISAAS) and the Society for Agricultural Education-Research Development Abroad (SAEDA) held the 3rd Symposium and Congress titled A Holistic Approach in Establishing Food Security: Securing Food Supplies to Meet the Future Food Demand of the Increasing Population. The event was held at IPB International Convention Center (8/11).

ISAAS President, Prof. Dr. Dewa Ngurah Suprapta said that food security should mean that all people can buy food at any time, of course, safe and nutritious food to meet their needs. But the reality, according to Prof. Dewa is worse; in the worldwide there are approximately 852 million people who suffer from hunger. In addition, in the ASEAN countries 0.5 million people need food.
 
Through this congress, Prof. Dewa hopes it could become the means of sharing research results among ISAAS members as well as among ASEAN members. This can serve as the material and inputs to strengthen food security. Meanwhile, IPB Rector, Prof. Herry Suhardiyanto expressed appreciation for IPB being selected as the host to organize this symposium. Rector then cited the immediate impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity.
 
More than 200 studies on food security from both IPB and SAEDA ISAAS were presented in the symposium. Rector hope this symposium can provide inputs related to the results of research on food security including the improvement of agricultural productivity, handling of crop failure, promotion of a conducive market and trade in agricultural products to increase farmers’ welfare. The symposium was attended by ISAAS members representing ASEAN countries and Japan. (Mtd)