IPB Hosts the 10th Symposium of Asian Sago Association
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University Indonesia in cooperation with the Indonesian Sago Association held the 10th symposium of Asian Sago Association entitled "Sago for Food Security, Bioenergy and Industry in the International Convention Center (IICC) Botany Square Bogor. 29/10.
Minister of Agriculture in his speech said that Sago of Indonesia is very potential to improve; moreover sago plants do not need maintenance and are environmentally friendly. According to Suswono, it is time for the community not to depend on rice anymore because we have other food stuff such as sago, which has the same high levels of carbohydrates as rice. In addition, sago can also be used as an alternative food (noodles, cakes), food flavoring, ingredient for making film and easily degradable plastics, textiles, plywood and glucose as well as alternative fuels (bio-ethanol).
I hope there is a good recommendation from this symposium and entrepreneurs can capture the potential of this sago as it is the most efficient plant and has many benefits. In addition there are some regions that should be developed. Just like Maluku, other regions are already self-contained in food, he said.
Sago plants spread in the island of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. The area of sago planting in Indonesia is 60% of the world’s sago population, estimated at 4-6 million hectares. The population is 100-150 trees per hectare or more, and a tree can produce (250-400) kg of starch.
The symposium was opened by Vice Rector of Business and Communication, Dr. Ir Arif Imam Soeroso, followed by the presentation of materials by three invited speakers: Prof. Dr. Sayed Azam Ali of the University of Nottingham, Prof. Yoshinori Yamamoto of Kochi University and Prof. MH. Bintoro of Bogor Agricultural University, oral presentations and posters. The second day of the symposium will begin with two invited speakers, namely Prof. Kopli Bujang PhD from the University of Malaysia Sarawak and Dr. Dwi Asmono of PT National Sago Prima, followed by an oral discussion and poster presentations.
In this symposium 60 oral papers and posters were presented, and apart from the speakers there were 72 participants attending the symposium. They come from various countries such as Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines while Indonesian participants come from different sago producing areas such as Maluku, Papua, West Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, District Meranti Regency and other areas.
The symposium is sponsored by PT National Sago Prima, PT Antam, PT Nusa Ina, Government of Meranti Regency, Vice-Chancellor of Business and Communications, Business Directorate, Directorate of Research and Strategic Studies, Directorate of Cooperation and International Programs, Diploma Program of Bogor Agricultural University. (Mtd)
