As many as 43.4% Indonesian populations work in agriculture sector. Despite the decrease in agricultural sector’s contribution to GDP, the share is still very high, especially in densely populated countries like China, India and Indonesia. Even the percentage of population working in agriculture is the third world highest after China at 66% and India at 53.2%.
This was conveyed by Director General for Management and Marketing of Agricultural Products, Prof. Ir. Zainal Bachrudin, in the scientific presentation at the inauguration of the new official of UGM Graduate Student Association in the Faculty of Forestry’s Auditorium, Sunday (19/2).
Zainal said, today agriculture has contributed as much as 14.7 percent of GDP and nearly 50 percent of the population depends on agriculture. "Thus, the agricultural sector should get the greater attention and worthy protection," said the Professor of UGM Faculty of Animal Science.
In his oration, Zainal confirmed one determinant factor of the nation-building success, including the agricultural sector is the integrity of morality. Therefore, Indonesian human resources should have their motivation generated, to work hard, smartly, and sincerely. He also put great hope to the Association to be sensitive to global changes and able to provide solutions to the issues raised in the community. "I have high expectations to the officials who are sworn in and all members of academic community, to not just flow through the process in the profession and build personal-quality, but more than that, we should be able to observe the new nuance of social change which came along with the fast current of globalization," he said.
Similar statement was also presented by Director of the UGM Graduate School, Prof. Dr. Hartono, DEA,. DESS. He said some areas have the abundant potential of crop product, such as Central Java that has a surplus of rice while other plantation crops, such as lettuce and melons, have been successfully exported abroad. Furthermore, husbandry of cattle and Etawa goat has also well-developed. "However, to get to food security, abundant food production has to be balanced with the marketing solutions, entrepreneurship and good management," he added.
Chairman of the Association, Inyo Muhammad Abdullah, said the new leaders have a strong commitment and desire to understand the aspiration of Graduate students which currently total around 15 thousand. "There is a lot of the power potential to build the nation. We hope that the Association could make real contribution nationally and even internationally," he said.