Dr. Ani Widiastuti, a lecturer in the Master of Phytopathology Program at the Department of Plant Pests and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, has been appointed Indonesia’s regional representative for the 2024–2026 term.
She was selected during The 4th AsiaBlight International Meeting, held on Nov. 28–29, 2024, in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The Potato International Center (CIP) – China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP) and the Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences organized the event.
In addition to Indonesian representatives, regional representatives from Vietnam, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan attended the AsiaBlight meeting.
In her statement to reporters on Tuesday (Dec. 10), Dr. Widiastuti explained that AsiaBlight is an open community focused on potato late blight disease. It is dedicated to environmentally friendly control and management of this disease to support the development of sustainable research in the Asia-Pacific region.
“This community was established in 2014 in Nepal and consists of researchers, government workers, industry professionals, farmers, and all users collaborating to improve the management of potato late blight in the Asia-Pacific region,” she said.
Dr. Widiastuti’s participation in the international meeting aimed to systematically review the current situation of late potato blight, discuss disease prevention and management and exchange thoughts on the research activities conducted by each participant.
Potato late blight is a globally significant disease that caused a plant disease epidemic in Ireland in 1845.
Dr. Widiastuti explained that the disease led to a great famine in Ireland, resulting in significant loss of life and forcing many Irish people to migrate to other countries or continents.
According to her, this disease also marked the establishment of the field of plant pathology, which has proven crucial in contributing to global food security to this day.
“Ideas for collaboration over the next three years were also discussed at the meeting,” she said.
Potato late blight continues to be a major concern for plant disease researchers worldwide, given that potatoes are a nutrient-rich crop that contributes to food security in many countries, especially those with high levels of malnutrition, including the Asia region.
“This crop can adapt to extreme conditions and produce more food per unit of water than other crops,” she added.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya