The 2024 Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Outstanding Individuals Awards Night was a truly joyful event for Novika Sari Harahap.
Traveling all the way from Dumai City, Riau Province, she was one of the recipients of the 2024 UGM Outstanding Individuals Award in the Pioneer of Empowerment in Frontier, Outermost, and Underdeveloped Regions (3T) category.
“I am truly happy tonight. Thank you, UGM, for appreciating its alumni,” she said with teary eyes at Grha Sabha Pramana on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
Novika, as she is often called, is an alumna of UGM’s Faculty of Agriculture.
She completed her undergraduate studies in the Department of Plant Pests and Diseases at the Faculty of Agriculture in 1995 and later pursued her Master’s in Agribusiness at Universitas Riau (UNRI).
After graduating from UNRI, she began her career as a civil servant in Dumai City, Riau Province.
She dedicated herself to becoming an agricultural extension officer focused on human resource development.
“I really want to help farmers improve their knowledge and skills. I want to change their attitude from being unwilling to be willing to accept innovation,” she said softly.
Her efforts as an extension officer have paid off.
Despite a long process, the empowerment of human resources or community empowerment has become noticeable.
Thanks to the various innovations she introduced, farmers no longer need to expend as much effort.
Novika admits that pursuing a career as an extension officer for 15 years has not been easy. She faced many challenges, both internal and external.
“Internally, as an agricultural extension officer, I am required to have sufficient competence and be able to understand the local culture,” she explained.
She noted that the many theories she learned in college needed to be supplemented with the soft skills she developed in the field.
The theories she acquired were very helpful when conducting extension work or exchanging information with fellow extension officers.
“Externally, the challenges were mainly due to cultural differences between Java and Sumatra, as well as environmental factors such as more difficult travel conditions,” she added.
The Hymne Gadjah Mada song has been a source of inspiration for Novika.
The lyrics, “Our devotion as students of Gadjah Mada; I pledge to answer the call of my nation,” have deeply resonated with her.
These lines continuously motivate and encourage her to pursue her agricultural extension officer career.
At the peak of her career, she became a dedicated extension officer in empowering farming communities.
She always carried the message from those lyrics in her work, striving to constantly upgrade herself to give the best to society.
“Strong motivation will enhance my performance in serving the community. That’s why I need to have strong motivation myself before motivating others, whether farmers or fellow extension officers,” she explained.
At the end of the conversation, Novika shared a message for UGM’s Faculty of Agriculture students and alumni, encouraging them never to feel discouraged.
Wherever they are, their presence in the agricultural sector is always needed.
“From my experiences, I can say that no matter how advanced or sophisticated technology becomes, we in the agricultural field will always be needed, and our work scope is vast. So, stay motivated and do your best for yourself and others,” Novika said.
Reportage: Agriculture UGM/Hanita Athasari Zain
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna Nurseisa Azrien
Photo: Novika Harahap