Twelve students of Ehime University, Japan, have arrived to join the KKN PPM UGM (UGM’s Community Empowerment Program Field Practice), on 5-14 August 2009. The Dean of Agriculture Technology Faculty, Dr. Ir. Djagal Wiseso Marseno said that this participation is in the framework of MoU between UGM and Ehime University. He informed the correspondent that all the twelve will undergo a three days orientation before they are set out on the field.
On the spot, the students will learn about organic farming in Salam, Magelang, and the usage of biogas in Piyungan, Bantul. ''For seven days, we will head to Salam, Magelang, and Piyungan, Bantul,'' he added.
The committee of foreign students KKN programs, Affan Fajar Falah, Ph.D. said that the students will observe the making of compost and the organic farming. ''This KKN PPM Program has attracted international institutions because it’s related to the international program of education for sustainable development,'' he explained.
According to Affan, in Japan they don’t have such program and they are interested to do the same thing. Meanwhile, UGM’s students have the chance to visit the agriculture cooperation in Japan to study the life of the cooperatives that affect political decisions.
The Representative of Ehime University, Prof. Roof Vergin claims that he was the one who invited Japanese students to join the KKN PPM program. The American PhD found out about this program 4 years ago and had been preparing it for some time. ''I think this program is very good, especially for Japanese students. With their participation, they can understand the world outside their own and bring along the mission of peace,'' he said.
Manabe Sayaka (21) and Sakamoto Takaaki (20) are among the Japanese students who are interested in knowing directly the condition of farming in this country. Takaaki claims that he has read books about Indonesia and wanted to know the way Indonesian people farms. Both Sayaka and Takaaki want to apply their newly gained knowledge to their country.
Additionally, Djagal said that UGM will send Indonesian students to Japan for 2-3 weeks to learn about their agriculture cooperative.
(Public Relations of UGM/Gusti Grehenson)