To celebrate its 47th Anniversary, Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM held a National Symposium on Research and Development of Tropical Animal Husbandry. The symposium was held in the Auditorium of Drh. R. Soepardjo Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM, Thursday (3/11). The symposium was conducted with the theme Livestock Development based on Germ plasm and Local Wisdom to Support Sustainable Agrotechnology.
Some experts were present as guest speakers in this symposium, including the Head of the Food Security Division in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Head of Research and Development of Animal Husbandry in Ministry of Agriculture. Also present were Brebes Regent, Chairman of HIMPULI (Indonesia Local Poultry Farmers Association), Chairman of the Animal Breeding and Reproduction Department, Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM/Chairman of the Center of Excellence.
"The symposium is held to provide an academic forum for researchers, faculty and students to exchange ideas in advancing the world of farming, particularly in Indonesia," said Astuti Andriyani, S.Pt., MP, Ph.D., chairman of the symposium committee.
According to Andriyani, tropical farm was chosen as the theme of the symposium because tropical farm imposed an opportunity as well as a challenge for the livestock industry in the tropical area. Global warming and the increase in population automatically increase demand for food, including livestock food.
Meanwhile, the current tropical livestock productivity has not been able to meet the increasing demand. There are many influential factors in determining the productivity of tropical livestock.
"Therefore, academic forum is important to gather ideas to further formulate ideal strategy for tropical livestock development," she said.
The symposium was expected to create effective strategy and collaboration for livestock development with the stakeholders. In addition, it can help create livestock food sovereignty in the future. Moreover, Indonesia as a tropical country is rich in tropical animal genetic resources and has experienced a very good adaptation for years and even centuries.
"Unfortunately, this potential is increasingly marginalized due to the rapid progress of industrialization of farming based on imported seed which is perceived to be more productive and efficient than the local livestock. Some breeds of native Indonesian cattle are endangered while focus on conservation, research, development and commercialization is very limited," she added.
Andriyani sincerely hopes that various parties involved (government, academia, researchers, businesses, farmers) will devote their time, energy, thoughts, and all power to the conservation and development of tropical germ plasm. With such dedication, UGM expects at least after 5 to 10 years, tropical livestock germ plasm would be put on the priority list in research and development.
"Therefore, a national symposium of research and development of tropical livestock will be scheduled regularly every year," said Andriyani.