IPB University Collaborates with Australian Center for International Agricultural Research

IPB University established cooperation with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) which was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Under Understanding (MoU) in the Conference Room of the Science and Technology Area Institute (LKST), Campus IPB Taman Kencana (15/6). This activity was an important follow-up of the previous meeting held last February.

Rector of IPB University, Prof Arif Satria said that IPB University as one of the leading universities in Indonesia is committed to expanding its reputation on a global scale. The commitment is pursued by strengthening building education, research programs and community services that can increase resilience, change the mindset of the future to achieve sustainable programs.

“We realize and recognize that international cooperation with strategic partners such as ACIAR will support the vision of IPB University, because agriculture is one of our main mandates,” said Prof Arif.

In addition, he said that with collaborations like this, IPB University could contribute to supporting the environment and society, including through agricultural development for Indonesia through the principle of inclusiveness.

The principle of inclusivity, he said, is aimed at small farmers through land protection. All parties from various classes are embraced together to develop agriculture.

“We must build agriculture by embracing all classes based on the experience of the third world like Indonesia. Large farmers are encouraged, the middle ones are raised and the small ones are protected, so that all are touched and the principle of inclusiveness must be encouraged so that the acceleration of transformation 4.0 becomes less homogeneous,” he added.

Prof Campbell as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ACIAR is very interested in ensuring partnerships and collaboration with all partners, one of which is a leading university in Indonesia, IPB University. According to him, Indonesia has been an important and key partner country for ACIAR for the past four decades.

“ACIAR has played an influential role in sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in Australia for more than 30 years, including as Australia’s first national landcare facilitator,” he added.

According to him, all countries in the Indo-Pacific region are grappling with the complex challenge of how to grow more food and reduce poverty using less land, water and energy. Since 1982, ACIAR has made significant contributions to addressing these challenges.

“It is hoped that this collaboration can broker science partnerships in agriculture, fisheries and forestry between Australia’s innovation system and Indonesia,” Prof Campbell said. (Ns) (IAAS/ANF)