UNS — The Agricultural Extension Study Program Students’ Association (HM Pelita) Faculty of Agriculture (FP) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta organizes the National Agricultural Extension Student Summit (NAESS) 2021. The event is a national discussion forum designed for the Agricultural Extension & Communication Study Program students (PKP). This year NAESS is available through the Zoom Cloud Meeting on Saturday (20/3/2021).
The participants of NAESS 2021 are representatives of PKP students from all universities in Indonesia. In total there are 12 Universities and Polytechnic, among other are the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB), Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian (Polbangtan) Bogor, Polbangtan Gowa, Polbangtan Malang, Polbangtan Manokwari, Polbangtan Yoma, Universitas Andalas, Universitas Islam Makassar, Universitas Jember, Universitas Lampung, UNS, and Universitas Halu Oleo. Also attending this event is Riky Rudiat as the Head of Polbangtan PEPI Indonesia Student Association (IMPPI). This program is one of the HM Pelita program in the form of Focus Group Discussion (FGD).
“NAESS 2021 is a work program of the HM Pelita UNS. One of the programs included in NAESS is the communication forum. The forum uses the FGD method,” explains Cici Andriansyah as the Event Manager of NAESS 2021, Monday (22/3/2021) to uns.ac.id team.
This year topic is the ‘Youth Role in Technology 4.0 Utilization in Agricultural Sector to Improve Community Economy’, with several emerging issues such as the lack of agricultural extension officer in Indonesia, the role of agricultural extension and young generation in technology utilization, and solution for the lack of agricultural extension in Indonesia.
Cici explains that they are interested wit the theme because of the current condition of agricultural extension in Indonesia. “This theme is interesting because of the inadequate number of agricultural extension officers, resulting in a stigma that extension workers only visit and then leave without empowering the community,” Cici said.
The NAESS 2021 forum concludes with four points. First, the need for millennials farmers and millennials agricultural extension, which aligned with the target farmer’s empathy. Second, the role of universities to establish a synergy through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Third, the need for a clear vision and mission of farmers’ group, supports from officers and government, as well as improvement of the familiarity between the farmers and extension officer. Fourth, the role of the young generation who understand how to implement technology and introduce the technology directly to the community but still maintaining the local wisdom.
Concluding the information, Cici representing HM Pelita expresses her wishes for the next NAESS. “Hopefully, the NAESS Discussion Forum can invite delegations from both state and private universities in Indonesia,” Cici said. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti