Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) continues to expand its research contributions to the agricultural sector through the development of Gamahumat, an innovative humic acid-based soil conditioner created through interdisciplinary collaboration. The product was introduced at the Rembug Sesarengan event held in Sekaran Village, Klaten Regency, on Tuesday (Oct. 29), alongside the introduction of the superior rice variety Gamagora 7 and Presokazi rice.
Carrying the theme “Ngolah Ilmu, Nandur Harapan: Inovasi UGM untuk Ketahanan Pangan Indonesia” (Cultivating Knowledge, Sowing Hope: UGM Innovations for Indonesia’s Food Security), the event brought together farmers, local officials, and academics eager to learn about UGM’s research applications for improving regional agricultural productivity.
Klaten Regent’s Expert Staff, Joko Istanto, expressed his appreciation for UGM’s initiative in bringing research directly to the community. He emphasized that collaboration between universities and farmers is crucial to achieving agriculture that is both adaptive to climate change and responsive to market demands.
“We express our sincere gratitude to Universitas Gadjah Mada for organizing Rembug Sesarengan today. Hopefully, this event will enlighten and benefit the farmers in Sekaran and its surrounding areas,” said Istanto.
Meanwhile, UGM Secretary Dr. Andi Sandi Antonius Tabusassa Tonralipu stated in his remarks that the event represents the real implementation of the university’s tridharma (education, research, and community service).
According to him, UGM’s research must generate tangible impacts, especially in sectors that support public welfare, such as agriculture.
“Through forums like this, we want to ensure that our research does not stop at scientific publications but truly helps farmers address real challenges in the field,” said Dr. Tonralipu.
On the same occasion, a professor of mineral processing engineering at the UGM Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM), Himawan Tri Bayu Murti Petrus, explained that Gamahumat was developed to improve soil quality by utilizing humic organic materials combined with natural mineral elements.
Results indicate that humic acid enhances nutrient content and improves soil structure, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of fertilizers.
“From laboratory tests to field trials, Gamahumat has been proven to increase crop yields by more than 70 percent in several plant species, including rice,” explained Professor Petrus.
Professor Petrus added that the Gamahumat project is part of UGM’s waste-to-resource initiative, which converts mineral waste into new sources of soil nutrients. This approach not only reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers but also supports circular and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
“We want to ensure that the agriculture of the future is not only productive but also sustainable. Gamahumat serves as a bridge toward a healthy and efficient agricultural ecosystem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cahyo Wulandari, from the UGM Faculty of Agriculture (Agriculture UGM), explained that the Gamahumat research also considers the social aspects of its implementation. She emphasized that improving soil fertility must go hand in hand with increasing farmers’ capacity to understand how to use and benefit from the product.
“In addition to studying its active compounds, we also assist farmers in applying the product so that they can truly experience its impact,” said Dr. Wulandari.
Dr. Wulandari further noted that the success of Gamahumat is inseparable from the synergy among the faculties of engineering, agriculture, and industrial partners who supported the product testing on various land types, including marginal and post-mining lands.
The innovation represents one of UGM’s strategic steps to strengthen food security while restoring agricultural land.
“We hope Gamahumat can be applied more widely, especially in areas facing soil degradation challenges,” she added.
Through research and dissemination activities such as this, UGM seeks to ensure that its innovations are applied effectively in communities while reinforcing a solution-oriented research ecosystem.
The event is part of the Science and Technology Campaign: “Empowering Research, Advancing Food Security”, supported by the Directorate for Science and Technology Dissemination and Utilization, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, through the Thematic Science and Technology Campaign Program (Resona Saintek).
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi