USU PUBLIC RELATIONS — The Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) officially hosted The 10th International Conference on Agriculture, Environment, and Food Security (AEFS) 2026 on Wednesday (September 2, 2026), at the USU Digital Learning Center Building.

Under the theme “Synergizing Green Economy and Agri-Innovation to Enhance Food Security and Environmental Sustainability,” the conference highlighted the importance of synergy among agricultural innovation, the green economy, food security, and environmental sustainability.

A number of academics from Indonesia and abroad attended as keynote speakers, including Prof. Kotaro Takayama from Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan; Prof. Brijesh Kumar Tiwari from Ireland; as well as Dr. Sri Fajar Ayu and Dr. Najiha Ikhwan from USU.

The event was officially opened by USU Vice Rector III for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., who represented USU Rector, Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si.

Photo: Amri Simatupang

In his remarks, Prof. Himsar highlighted agroindustry as one of USU’s competitive advantages, with an important role in meeting food needs, supporting energy security, and maintaining environmental sustainability.

“The second TALENTA strength is Agroindustry. This means that the university places greater emphasis on developing the agroindustry or agribusiness sector,” he said.

The consistent implementation of AEFS since 2017 was also viewed as part of USU’s efforts to strengthen its international conference programs.

In line with this, Dean of the USU Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Rulianda Purnomo Wibowo, S.P., M.Ec., stated that AEFS 2026 is not merely a platform for research presentations, but also a platform for accelerating tangible solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“This is essentially the starting point for understanding what we have accomplished, sharing our work with others, and allowing others to learn about our research, so that in the future we can build stronger collaborations,” he said.

Chair of the AEFS 2026 Organizing Committee, Prof. Riswanti Sigalingging, STP., M.Si., Ph.D., reported that this year’s conference brought together participants from approximately 36 universities and institutions across Indonesia, 14 universities from abroad, and two government agencies.

“This year, we are very proud to welcome participants from both national and international backgrounds. Our conference brings together representatives from approximately 36 universities and institutions in Indonesia, 14 universities from abroad, and two government agencies,” she said.

Discussions at AEFS 2026 also focused on several SDG targets, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Through its 10th edition, the USU Faculty of Agriculture hopes that AEFS will continue to grow as a platform for exchanging ideas, expanding networks, and strengthening collaboration to advance innovations that support food security and a sustainable environmental future.