UNS — Faculty of Agriculture (FP) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta hosted a national seminar on ‘Digitization of Agriculture Towards the Rise of Creative Economy,’ which also became a part of the 46th UNS Anniversary Celebration, virtually on Thursday (19/5/2022). The national seminar was opened by the Rector of UNS, Prof. Dr. Jamal Wiwoho, SH, M. Hum. In his remark, Prof. Jamal said that the agricultural sector and creative economy had exhibited their ability as a motor for accelerating economic recovery in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to him, this can be realized through creativity and innovation to optimize the potential of Indonesia’s creative economy, which is rich in cultural diversity, processed agricultural products, and highly attractive natural beauty for the tourism sector. “Continuing the development of these two sectors, the government has set policies for the development of an advanced, independent, and modern agricultural sector, as well as an advanced, competitive, sustainable, and local wisdom-oriented policies for the tourism and creative economy. UNS as a higher education institution also plays a role in creating innovation and technology and preparing skilled, innovative, and creative human resources,” explained Prof. Jamal.
Prof. Jamal added that this national seminar is an essential event as a forum to accommodate aspirations in policy formulation, especially in the advanced, independent, modern, competitive, and sustainable agriculture and creative economy sectors. Of course, this is inseparable from the shared synergy between the government, universities, industry/practitioners, and the community. The opening session was followed by a welcome remark by the Chairman of Dies Natalis at FP UNS, Dr. Muji Rahayu, S.P., M.P.
Dr. Muji revealed that this national seminar event is part of a series of activities carried out at FP UNS to celebrate the 46th UNS Anniversary. “Other than this national seminar, a series of events were conducted on Thursday, May 19, 2022, including the launch of FP UNS Mars, Book launching entitled ‘Pemikiran Guru Besar UNS,’ the Pre-National Workshop of the Indonesian Agricultural College Communication Forum (FKPTPI), the National Workshop and the 2nd Congress of the Indonesian Agrotechnology Association (MORNING),” explained Dr. Muji. He further stated that the national seminar was attended by 131 presenter participants, 103 FKPTPI participants, 75 PAGI participants, and 195 national seminar participants.
Meanwhile, the Dean of FP UNS, Prof. Dr. Ir. Samanhudi, S.P., M.Si., IPM, ASEAN Eng., said that this national seminar event aims to, among others, be a dissemination media for output from research and community service activities conducted by lecturers and researchers in the agriculture sector; as a platform for academics and scientists in developing partnership and research networks; and to be a communication platform for members of the Indonesian agricultural university communication forum.
The national seminar was divided into 2 (two) sessions of events. The first session was a national seminar that presented 2 (two) keynote speeches from the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. H. Syahrul Yasin Limpo, SH, M.Si., M.H., and the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, B.B.A., M.B.A. Following the keynote speech, there are 4 (four) other invited speakers for the session, namely the Head of the Representative of Bank Indonesia for Solo Branch, Nugroho Joko Prastowo; Production Director of PT Bisi Internasional Tbk, Ir. Triono Hardyanto; Owner of Mahaloka Paradise Nanggunalan and Mahacreative, Atma Mahatma; and Academician of the Faculty of Agriculture UNS, Prof. Eddy Triharyanto.
The second session of the national seminar was followed by a parallel presentation session for the submitted article, which was divided into 11 sub-themes, including land and water resources, human and institutional resources, livestock resources, socio-economic agriculture, food security and security, crop production and post-harvest technology, management of crop-disrupting organisms, forest and agro-ecotourism resources, agricultural biotechnology, community partnership programs and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as well as creative economy and Agricultural Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) empowerment. Humas UNS
Reporter: Lina Khoirun Nisa
Editor: Dwi Hastuti