Yogyakarta, January 8, 2025 – The Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), carried out the Socialization of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Program for Ekonomi Pertanian dan Agribisnis (EPA) Study Program students class of 2022. This activity was conducted online through a Zoom Meeting attended by EPA Study Program lecturers and 2022 EPA Study Program students. The socialization aims to provide direction and information regarding the implementation of MBKM in the even semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. Some things discussed were the introduction of various MBKM programs offered and can be selected by students, the flow and conditions of MBKM implementation, especially for the type of MBKM Program Partners of EPA Study Program, then ended with a question and answer session by enthusiastic participants. The dynamic discussion reflected the great interest of students in this program.
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Yogyakarta, January 7, 2025 – The Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program (EPA Study Program) met with Perum BULOG Yogyakarta Regional Office at the Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada University. The meeting was attended by several lecturers of the EPA Study Program and representatives of the Perum BULOG Yogyakarta Regional Office. The main agenda of this event was to discuss plans for cooperation in implementing the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Program to provide opportunities for students to learn and gain direct experience in the world of work and improve skills. This meeting can strengthen cooperation between higher education institutions and the business world in improving the quality of human resources. Students are expected to gain an understanding of operations and business at Perum BULOG Yogyakarta Regional Office. With this cooperation, not only does it contribute to the academic development of students, but it can also bring a broader positive impact to society, especially in supporting food security and sustainable agribusiness development.
On December 5, 2024, the Auditorium of the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) became the venue for a discussion and screening of a documentary film that raised important issues related to Indonesian food security. The event was organized by UGM Channel, with the documentary film title “Behind the Food Barn: Aren’t We Already Capable Enough to Face It?”.
This documentary film examines how people on the outermost islands of Indonesia struggle to maintain their food sovereignty with the challenges of globalization and climate change. After the screening of the film, an in-depth discussion was held. One of the discussion initiators at the event was Prof. Dr. Jamhari, S.P., M.P. as a professor from the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program UGM who is also known as an expert in the field of food security.
Students of the 2022 Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program conducted an Agricultural Socio-Economic Assessment Practicum in Gunung Kidul Regency on November 1-4, 2024. The activity aims to provide students with information on the socio-economic conditions of farmers in Gunungkidul Regency through surveys and direct interviews with farmers.
The Agricultural Socio-Economic Assessment Practicum has a series of activities that allow students to have reliable academic abilities. After conducting field practicums by interviewing farmers, students then write the results of their studies in the form of a scientific report containing the general conditions of the area, characteristics of respondents, analysis of social conditions, analysis of costs, income, profits of farming businesses and the level of farmer welfare. This is expected to provide students with an overview of the portrait of farming businesses in Gunung Kidul Regency and the conditions of farmers’ households. To facilitate the implementation of the practicum, students are accompanied by a practicum assistant and a supervisor. The series of practicum activities are closed with an exam with a lecturer in the form of a presentation of the results of the analysis.
With the spirit of international collaboration, the EPA Study Program implements case-based learning in the agribusiness management course. The implementation of case-based learning is carried out to prepare EPA Study Program students to face global challenges. The class involves students from three countries, namely Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. They succeeded in formulating innovative solutions to actual problems in the agribusiness sector.
The activity, which was held on November 26, 2024, carried two main themes, namely production risk management and human resource management. Students were divided into two large groups to explore each theme. By using a case-based learning approach, they were required to analyze real cases in the agribusiness industry, formulate problems, and design effective solutions from three countries, namely Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea.
On October 29, 2024, the UGM Faculty of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Kana Cooperative and the Agam Regency Government, held counseling for sugarcane farmers in Kanagarian Lawang and Kebagarian Tigo Balai, Matur District. The event, which was held at the Lawang Village Head Office, aimed to introduce a new, more efficient method of planting sugarcane using the ringpit technique.
Low productivity and yield, as well as limited sugarcane supply, are problems faced by all sugarcane farmers. This has an impact on the less-than-satisfactory income of sugarcane farmers. Not only that, but the performance of the sugar industry, which relies on supplies from community sugarcane, is also not optimal. The low productivity and yield are caused by substandard cultivation techniques. The use of suboptimal inputs has an impact on low productivity and sugarcane yield. Therefore, the ringpit technique is a solution to increase the efficiency of water and nutrient absorption.
On Wednesday, October 30, 2024, the UGM Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program held a guest lecture on agribusiness management with the topic of neuroscience applications in neuromarketing. The resource person in this guest lecture was Bambang Iman Santoso, a neuro-enthusiast and Co-Founder of the Neuronesia Learning Center (NLC) at PT Neuronesia Neurosains Indonesia. The application of neuroscience in marketing is one of the important sciences that should be studied by an agricultural marketer because this science can perfect existing marketing science.
On October 17, 2024, the Department of Agricultural Socioeconomics, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held the second International Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Socioeconomics, Agribusiness, and Rural Development (ICSASARD). This international conference was held to support the transformation of essential sectors to create a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous society.
ICSASARD 2024 covers 7 issues, including
1. Low Emission Development (LED) for sustainable agriculture
2. Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) for sustainable agriculture
3. Climate change and natural resources resilience for food systems
4. Sustainable food value chain
5. Food and nutrition security
6. Social transformation towards sustainable food system
7. Inclusive Rural Development
The independent campus program provides freedom for students to study outside campus through various activities, including Certified Independent Study and Internships (MSIB) and MBKM Mandiri. The program aims to provide experience and skills for students so they can organize their careers and be ready to face changes in the world outside campus. The UGM Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program also participates in the independent campus program, one of which is through MBKM Mandiri. This effort was made to support SDG Program Point 4 regarding quality education. The UGM Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Study Program sends its best students to study and improve their skills at various companies for one semester.