Agriculture is the Dignity of the Nation

Agricultural education is really required for this country. If we do not produce  educated farmers appropriately, there will be high chances that foreign farmers to control our farms.
 
This statement was confirmed by the Chairman of the Senate of the Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University, Prof. Dr. Roedhy Poerwanto, at the Seminar on “Refleksi Masa Depan Pembangunan dan Pendidikan Pertanian Indonesia (Reflections on the Future of the Agricultural Education Development in Indonesia)", which was held to commemorate the  60 Years of First Stone Laying of the Baranangsiang campus, on Monday, 30 April 2012, at the IPB International Convention Center (IICC), Bogor. The event was officially opened by Rector of the University, Prof.Dr.Ir. Herry Suhardiyanto, MSc.  and this special event was participated by Deans of the Faculty of Agriculture in Indonesia.
 
Prior to the opening, Prof. Roedhy  in his paper on  "Menyongsong Era Baru Pendidikan Pertanian Indonesia (Toward a New Era of Agricultural Education in Indonesia)" said that human resources (HR) working in the agricultural sector are dominated by farmers who are graduated only from Grade Schoo  (SD),  even 75 percent out of them are unfinish their primary school, then followed by 15 percent who had graduated from Primary High School (SMP), finally 9 percent who graduated from High School (SMA). Only 1 percent who are from University (BA degree holders).
 
"Unfortunately, the are even queries by many academic communities, whether higher learning institutions for agriculture are really needed. As appeared in most slogans more than just agriculture, most of  faculty members of Bogor Agricultural University would like to convert Bogor Agricultural University into a university, and some Rector of private universities which have Faculty of Agriculture, have expressed their interest to close them, "explained Prof. Roedhy.

Therefore, continued Prof. Roedhy, currently we really need  a person or an organization that is capable to inspire students to learn  agriculture as stated by Bung Karno’s in his speech on 1952, which has inspired the students to study agriculture. At that time, Bung Karno called and urged the Indonesian youth to learn  agriculture and  veterinary science, as those sciences are  as important as other disciplines, and they will satisfy those  who dreams other subjects. 
 
Then how should be the future figure of the agriculture graduates? Prof Roedhy illustrates, such figure must be able to answer all question is agricultural science, should be having skill in operating the agriculture, having advanced knowledge in business and technology related to agriculture, capable of utilizing information resources, having good characteristics and culture. He should also know, live, and love of agriculture and the environment, and having entrepreneurialsips.
 
"Agriculture is the nation’s sovereignty and dignity. A country is considered as a nation if neither its social and political status, nor its basic agricultural products are stable. Any large  contry which is unable to provide enough food for its people will be destroyed, "said Prof Roedhy.
 
The present  Seminar which was moderated by  Prof. Dr. Syafrida Manuwoto,  invited  the  Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture,  Dr.  Ernan Rustiadi, as  speaker  who presented his paper on  “ Masa Depan Pembangunan Pertanian Indonesia (The Future of Agricultural Development  in Indonesian), and Dr. Robert Manurung, from the School of Biological Science and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, who presented his  paper on  " Menyongsong Era Pertanian Industrial dan Industrialisasi Perdesaan (Toward the Industrial Era of Agriculture and Rural Industrialization)”.
 
Dr Ernan stated the two prerequisites for the development of agriculture in Indonesia in the next 30 years to come. First, the consistentcy of the  political and commitment support of the government. They should be realized through the allocation of the development budget, infrastructure and improvement for the capital availability, and investment. Second, the mastery of science and technology of tropical agriculture. (Wied).