Indonesian Ecology Expo 2014 FEMA IPB, Local Knowledge: Sustainability Environment Based on Culture

Student Executive Board of Faculty of Human Ecology Bogor Agricultural University (BEM FEMA IPB), once again held Indonesian Ecology Expo (INDEX), in Grha Widya Wisuda (GWW) Building of IPB, Campus of IPB Dramaga, Bogor (2/11). In the year of 2014, INDEX organized was the seventh. The top event of INDEX 2014 was the National Seminar with the theme of Local Knowledge: Sustainability Environment Based on Culture.

INDEX was the receptacle for pouring the students’ creativity in form of the concern for action toward the rural development based on local wisdom, as well as the primary means for introducing the ecology to the community and increasing the critical awareness of the community on the importance of protecting and interacting wisely with the environment which they lived.

"The top event of INDEX 2014 is also accompanied by Expo which presents the products from a number of existing small and medium businesses in the area of Bogor. Meanwhile, the Talkshow with the theme of Building a Village Based on Local Wisdom is expected to be the implementation for Indonesia having the potential of a very rich culture. Besides, Indonesia also has the environment management tradition based on local wisdom. The seminar organized also discusses about the relevance of local wisdom in developing the country. This is surely expected to become the alternative solution from various ecologial crises which are more alarming in this country. Because of that, our great expectation, the activity can be useful for the entire community,” said Chairman of the Committee of INDEX 2014 from BEM FEMA IPB, Ferdhian Irvandiaz.

Not to forget, Dean of Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) IPB, Dr. Arif Satria, stated in his welcoming speech, “INDEX 2014 is the momentum and cultural movement to urge the community in order to solve the environmental problems and to change the community’s lifestyles which are unhealthy to be more pro-environment. Because of that, from this activity it can be resulted the minimalization of damage due to environmental pollution.”

“The most important, the education must be improved. Learning and continuing to seek knowledge must be accompanied by commitment and high morale for developed and developing better. Therefore, the education should be appreciated, the education should be done seriously. Learning best to seek the knowledge. This kind of event should continue to be encouraged," added by Dr. Arif.

Then proceeded with the Talkshow with the theme of Rural Development Based on Local Wisdom with three resource persons, i.e. Deputy of Development of Special Region Ministry of Development  of Disadvantaged Areas (KPDT), Dr. Ir. Suprayoga Hadi, Chairman of Political Sector of Agriculture and Rural Development Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies of IPB as well as a lecturer of Political Ecology in Study of Postgraduate Program of Rural Sociology of IPB, Dr. Ir. Arya Hadi Dharmawan, M.Sc.Agr, and Yance Arizona, from Law Department, President University, Epistema Institute.

INDEX 2014 was started from 2 September 2014, with a series of activities covering:

(1) Essay Contest, Photography, Documentary Film, Ecodiction, and Parade;

(2) Real Action as the students of real action to learn the culture and the local wisdom;

(3) Cultural and environmental expos;

(4) Talkshow on the implementation of local wisdom as the attempt to maintain the environmental preservation. (AWL)