Students from Thailand, Malaysia, and South Korea Learn Urban Farming from IPB University
Students from Universiti Putra Malaysia, National Institute of Child and Family Development (NICFD) Mahidol University and Seoul National University take part in the 3rd International Summer Course Program held by the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (IKK) Faculty of Human Ecology (Fema), IPB University on Campus Dramaga (29/7-6/8). On this summer course, there were 13 students from Thailand, Malaysia, and South Korea and one assistant lecturer who would learn about family well-being and its forming aspects. Starting from family resource management, family financial planning and family interaction to raise children.
"In addition to learning about family welfare, participants will conduct observations about the application of urban farming in DKI Jakarta Province and Bogor City and also conduct interviews at the family level to explore the role of urban farming on improving family welfare," said Dean of Fema IPB University, Prof. Dr. Ujang Sumarwan when opening the event. According to him, urban farmers have been raised as a central issue this summer because in the context of agricultural development, urban communities that implement urban farming are increasing.
Urban farming development is certainly different from the needs of traditional agricultural development in rural areas which still make large land one of the main resources.
"In the development of urban farming, the limitation of land has become a challenge that encourages urban communities and stakeholders to develop efficient urban agricultural innovations while still being productive while being economically, socially, and ecologically sustainable," he said.
On the same occasion, Prof. Ujang also delivered the purpose of this year's summer course. Namely to build cross-disciplinary collaboration internally at IPB University while developing an international collaboration network. And of course to support unit performance in increasing the number of inbound students and lecturers at IPB University.
Meanwhile, Head of the IKK Department, Dr. Tin Herawati said that the results of observations and interviews of summer course participants would be encouraged to do scientific writing and publish the results on the poster exhibition in the International Seminar on Family and Consumer Issues (5-6/8) held by Department of IKK, Fema, IPB University and the Indonesian Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ASIKKI) at the Baranangsiang Campus.
Present at the opening of the summer course was the Chairperson of the Division of Child Development, Dr. Dwi Hastuti and Chairperson of the Division of Consumer Sciences and Family Economics, Dr. Lilik Noor Yuliati. The activity funded by the Directorate of International Programs of IPB University is also supported by the Regional Government of Bogor City and the Regional Government of the Province of DKI Jakarta in the implementation of its activities. (RYS)
