Food security is crucial for every nation to ensure the prevention of hunger and the development of high-quality human resources through nutritious food intake.
Academic and university research results are expected to be applied to enhance national food production.
This was emphasized during the National Conference on Community Engagement titled “Enhancing Synergy and Collaboration for Food Security and Climate Change,” held on Wednesday (Oct. 23) at Grand Rohan Hotel Yogyakarta.
UGM Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni Dr. Arie Sujito stated that intellectuals and academics must ensure that their ideas can be practically applied as a form of community service.
“If the knowledge produced from research, from various perspectives, can become ambitions for society, it will create new resilience,” Dr. Sujito explained.
Dr. Jundika Chandra Kurnia, an Associate Professor at Curtin University Malaysia and one of the conference speakers, presented an idea he believes could effectively address food security and climate change issues in society.
He introduced the concept of Agrivoltaics, an innovation combining agriculture with solar energy to achieve net-zero emissions.
“This concept can create an eco-friendly energy source that reduces carbon footprints while lowering energy costs for farmers,” he said.
According to Dr. Kurnia, by installing solar panels over plantations, people can protect crops from extreme heat while reducing water evaporation, making agriculture more fertile.
Additionally, with agrivoltaics, farmers can contribute to reducing carbon emissions and obtain an energy source that lowers energy costs.
“What would happen if we replaced water diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps? We could save on diesel costs,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Dr. Yani Rahmawati, the Chief Editor of the Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement at Universitas Gadjah Mada, proposed an idea for improving food security through the use of Lean Theory, also known as Lean Management.
According to Dr. Rahmawati, Lean Management is a theory that increases process efficiency, in this case, all food-related processes.
“From the production process to waste management. As a result, food waste from these processes is reduced, and food resources can be utilized more effectively and efficiently,” Dr. Rahmawati said.
She explained that reducing food waste and making the distribution process more efficient would lower the resulting carbon footprint. Additionally, the benefits of applying Lean Management could contribute to achieving a low-carbon outcome.
In terms of community service, UGM Faculty of Engineering Architecture lecturer Dr. Ardhya Nareswari emphasized the crucial role of collaboration.
A well-established collaboration with the right partners will facilitate handling unexpected events, especially during extraordinary situations encountered during service activities.
“One example is the recent incident where a student helped deliver a baby on a boat in Liki Island. Collaboration with residents fostered trust between the students and the community, enabling the delivery process to occur,” she explained.
The Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni at UGM Faculty of Philosophy, Dr. Iva Ariani, expressed a similar sentiment. She emphasized the importance of publication in community service.
Dr. Ariani explained that intellectuals and academics can transfer technology and convey information to the public through publications.
“With publications, it opens up opportunities for partnerships. Oh yes, that region needs assistance, so academics can think about the solutions, the programs, and funding partnerships with industry partners,” she said.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif