FLORES ISLAND, Indonesia—Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Center Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), served as keynote speaker at the 1st International Conference on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Agribusiness 2024 held on 5–6 September 2024 at the Jayakarta Suites Komodo Flores and online.
The conference, organized by the Faculty of Agriculture of Universitas Nusa Cendana, Indonesia, focused on the theme "Managing the Sustainability of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Agribusiness: Challenges and Opportunities in the Disruptive Era." It featured presentations and discussions on sustainable agriculture, crop protection and protection, food security and nutrition, environmental management, and tourism and agriculture policy.
In his keynote, Dr. Gregorio advocated the critical role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in driving development through research and innovation in agriculture.
"There is a need to capitalize on the potential of HEIs on research for development and innovation," he remarked.
Dr. Gregorio highlighted the urgent need for HEIs to conduct research addressing climate change impacts, food insecurity, and the changing mindset of farmers. He also underscored their role in developing new crop varieties, improving seed and livestock production, enhancing agricultural systems, and ensuring efficient postharvest management.
Moreover, he called on HEIs to support more studies and activities related to improving financial technologies, increasing programs and budget allocation for agriculture and rural development, and promoting sustainable and responsible consumption patterns. This, he stressed, is crucial to support cleaner production, environmental conservation, and social inclusion.
Dr. Gregorio also emphasized SEARCA's commitment to nurturing the next generation of agricultural leaders and equipping current leaders with technological expertise and transformational leadership skills through initiatives under the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC), a network of esteemed universities in Southeast Asia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan.
He also introduced SEARCA's Web-based Integrated Spatial Engine and Smart Ecosystem (WISE) Carbon Farming project, which aims to develop standards for allowing agro-industry to offer carbon credits and the Consortium for Agricultural Development, Research, and Extension (CADRE), a network of high-caliber and like-minded institutions envisioned to collaborate in delivering research and extension support to the most pressing issues and challenges faced by the Southeast Asian agriculture sector.
The hybrid event invited other distinguished speakers, including Prof. Maxs U.E. Sanam of the Universitas Nusa Cendana; Prof. Yasushi Mitsuda of the University of Miyazaki, Japan; and Prof. Sri Nuryani H. Utami of the Universitas Gajah Mada, Indonesia.