In his presentation titled “The Role of University in Supporting Sustainable Agricultural,” the Rector recommended some matters related to food estate development in Indonesia.

Among the recommendations, Dr. Mury proposed the establishment of Food Estate Authority Board (abbreviated in Indonesian as BOFE) that supported by university R&D.

BOFE pattern is not meant to acquire the community land, but the concept is to have profit sharing and manage the existing food estate in Indonesia so that food estate program can be maximized in accordance with the expectation of the President Joko Widodo.

According to Dr. Mury the establishment of BOFE will ease the food estate management as it is supported by the research and development from the academics of several universities. “So, we, from the university can also contribute in this BOFE.” he said.

Food estate program has been very successful in Japan and China. According to the Rector, this success cannot be separated from the role of academics in its development process.

The program itself, according to Dr. Mury, is an appropriate strategic step in down-stream agricultural industry. Nevertheless, there are still obstacles and challenges in the program.

“The challenges are in the structural and cultural. Structural challenge related to governance in government, while the cultural related to community life pattern that tends to put aside the agriculture as main source of income,” he said.

Facing those challenges, the Rector recommends some points to maximize food estate program. Other than proposing to establish BOFE, Dr. Mury also recommends to do university mobilization to guard the socio-cultural transformation in life style changes, livelihood and daily activities.

“Reviewing local partnership with investor model in managing land ownership, that model needs to be aligned with Reforma Agraria program,” he said.

His other recommendation is to develop agricultural activity on environmentally friendly capital. Last but not least is to protect local sacred community sacred through more productive form such as the use of economically valuable and exotic plants.

In this occasion, USU Rector as the keynote speaker is side by side with Drs. Nikson Nababan, M.Si. (Regent of North Tapanuli), Ir. Ali Jamil Harahap, MP, P.hD (Directorate General of Agricultural Facility and Infrastructure – Ministry of Forestry, Republic of Indonesia), Erik Hadi Saputra S.Kom, M.Eng. (Director of Public Relations and International Affairs of AMIKOM University of Yogyakarta).

Author: Bambang Riyanto - PR

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Irsan Mulyadi - PR