ASEAN Researchers Joining SEARCA Conduct Discussion at IPB University
IPB University hosted a meeting of researchers who are members of the Integrated Forum on Food and Nutrition Security for Southeast Asia (FANSSEA) and The 5th University Consortium Graduate Forum (UCGF) 2019 of The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Monday (30/9) at the Baranangsiang Campus, Bogor.
The Vice-Rector for Collaboration and Information Systems of IPB University, Prof Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, during the opening ceremony, welcomed the researchers from various countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. Prof Dodik said that the importance of food security is not only about the technical aspect but also the socio-economic aspect. Regarding innovation products, Prof Dodik told the SEARCA member participants that there are 15 IPB innovation product outlets, one of which is near the campus of IPB University.
Paul Teng, a SEARCA Senior Fellow, said that the FANSSEA meeting and the SEARCA UCGF has begun in 2014. SEARCA embarked on a five-year plan towards the tenth year with a comprehensive theme, namely Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development or ISARD. "For the tenth year, the focus will be on tackling the problems of poverty and food insecurity in Southeast Asia," said Paul.
SEARCA formulates the program under two thrusts, one of which is FANSSEA 2014-2019. FANSSEA is a collaborative effort between SEARCA and the Consortium of Southeast Asian Universities for Postgraduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The program is developed using a participatory and bottom-up approach through expert consultation, benchmark, scoping, policy review, surveys and workshops. It highlights the dimensions of food security which are interrelated and consistent with internationally-accepted food security frameworks such as the ASEAN Integrated Food Safety Framework.
The program aims to directly contribute to ASEAN-level initiatives on food safety and is guided by the principles of inclusiveness and participation, collaboration, sustainability, supply chains and added values, ecosystem approaches, partnerships with the private sectors, relations with policies, climate change risks, and vulnerability management.
Head of the Master Program, IPB University Graduate School, Prof Nahrowi said that there were six groups that presented research results. "It is hoped that there will be a follow-up of research results. The research topics are very diverse and have various results with a common thread that will be determined by SEARCA. I hope that there will be input from IPB University to them so that one study can be carried out together in order to make it more solid," he explained. (dh/ris/zsp)
