Caption: President Jokowi attends the 60th Anniversary Open Session of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) on Friday (15/09/2023) at the IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor, West Java. (Photo: BPMI Setpres)
BOGOR, JAKTIMES.COM – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has outlined that challenges in various aspects, such as energy, food, and the economy, along with technological disruption and ongoing geopolitical situations, should be seen as opportunities for Indonesia if the nation can undertake significant innovations.
President Jokowi conveyed this message during the 60th Anniversary Open Session of Bogor Agricultural University (Institut Pertanian Bogor or IPB) at the IPB Dramaga Campus in Bogor, West Java, on Friday morning (15/09/2023).
“With the challenges we face today, we need massive innovations that can be breakthroughs, that can be our big steps forward, especially in turning global food problems into an opportunity for Indonesia to become a food barn. There are difficulties, there are crises, but they can also become opportunities, opportunities to increase the welfare of our farmers and fishermen,” said the President.
Specifically, President Jokowi urged the IPB community to innovate to anticipate food crises caused, among other factors, by population growth, climate change, such as prolonged super El Nino resulting in extended droughts, and protracted geopolitical situations like the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“All of these are realities that we must face, accept, and, most importantly, anticipate—what we need to do. This is the task of IPB, Mr. Rector. Matters concerning food, we’ve entrusted to IPB, and God willing, it will be completed. I await our anticipatory measures, plans, and their implementation,” he stated.
President Jokowi also positively acknowledged the inclusive and sustainable agro-maritime concept developed by IPB, which he believed could play a crucial role in Indonesia’s food ecosystem innovation.
“However, I believe that this effort cannot be accomplished by one discipline alone. It cannot be mono-disciplinary but must be interdisciplinary and even transdisciplinary. Everything is interconnected,” he added.
Therefore, President Jokowi welcomed the expansion of disciplines at IPB, as multidisciplinary knowledge is indeed necessary to develop Indonesia’s food ecosystem, covering aspects like management and social approaches, technological interventions, stem cells, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, robotic systems, and more. He urged all parties not to be averse to technology.
“Do not be allergic to technology. Do not avoid technological changes, do not fear intelligent machines, do not fear AI because at G7, G20, ASEAN Summit, everyone is talking about AI. All countries are so concerned about AI. There are no regulations yet, no rules for it; AI keeps evolving. It’s being discussed everywhere. It means we must anticipate and prepare ourselves. Once again, do not fear intelligent machines and AI,” he explained.
In conclusion, President Jokowi expressed his hope that IPB could become a place to produce excellent individuals with good character. He believed that IPB could play that role.
“I want IPB to be a place for producing outstanding individuals who are not only academically competent but also have good character, good morals, love their homeland, have high optimism, always want to help others, and I am confident that IPB University can play that role,” he emphasized (Wan)
