Indomarco Prismatama and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have entered into a collaboration to foster a partnership between the two and development in certain regions in Indonesia.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of agricultural and livestock commodities, as well as their marketing, was signed by Vice-Rector for Planning, Assets, and Information Systems, Dr. Arief Setiawan Budi Nugroho, and Microeconomics Executive Director of PT. Indomarco Prismatama, Feki Oktavianus, on Wednesday (9/8).
Dr. Nugroho welcomed this collaboration positively and said that UGM supports it mainly through the Faculty of Agriculture, which has a vast network and research products from its teaching staff.
“I believe research is not just for personal purposes, let alone solely for academic journals, but for how research can benefit the broader community,” he said.
He strongly hopes that UGM and Indomaret can synergize and tangibly realize their shared aspirations.
While Indomaret stores have traditionally marketed retail products from manufacturers, the emergence of Indomaret Point provides opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to offer their products.
“It used to be a bit difficult for MSMEs to enter, but now several Indomaret Points already offer MSME products such as snacks, onigiri, and others,” he added.
According to the vice-rector, this collaboration creates more opportunities for university research products to be enjoyed while empowering communities.
One such example is the Gama Melon, the melon variety discovered by Professor Budi Setiadi Daryono from the Faculty of Biology.
Other UGM products, like Toyagama bottled water, are also part of this collaboration. Toyagama is an exceptional product from UGM’s Drinking Water Service Unit, with 2 liters per second capacity.
“However, it is only being used at a tenth of its capacity and is solely meeting the needs within UGM. It’s certainly appealing that it’s being offered to 1,300 stores in Yogyakarta and Klaten, as even with just 100 stores, we were overwhelmed,” Dr. Nugroho explained.
Feki Oktavianus mentioned that before entering into this collaboration with UGM, they had already held preliminary discussions with the UGM Faculty of Agriculture and the Directorate of Partnerships and Global Relations to develop certain regional economies. Besides agriculture, this program will also encompass livestock and fisheries.
The Microeconomics Executive Director stated that UGM and Indomaret chose the most manageable scheme at the beginning of this collaboration.
The initial step involves instant methods, such as aiding the marketing of some farmer products from UGM research, such as melons, watermelons, and papayas.
“In Jogja alone, we have 500 stores; with Klaten, it can reach 1,300. This potential must be developed, as the company has tasked us to develop certain regional economies,” he said.
Oktavianus hopes farmers can experience economic growth or improve their well-being with such a scheme. It is also expected that this initiative can reduce unemployment and provide more opportunities for people to use their land.
“I believe UGM has a wealth of experts, and with a sound scheme like this, it will undoubtedly thrive. That’s our hope from Indomaret that it will continue to grow and not be limited to Central Java because Indomaret is everywhere,” he added.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Donnie