The field trip began with students boarding two buses. Our first stop was near Selopamioro to pick up snacks, which included sweet potatoes, krupuk-like snacks made from potatoes, pudding, and a type of bread with cheese. The variety of flavors was interesting, and the iced tea was refreshing.

After enjoying the beautiful scenic views of Bantul along with our snacks, we arrived at the main crop fields. There, we saw farmers and vast fields ready for planting seeds. We were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of participants from Groups 1, 3, and 5, while Group 2 included those from Groups 2, 4, and 6. Each group was guided by a local farmer to plant onions.

The land was in good condition, and we were instructed to plant eight onions in a single line, leaving about 10 centimeters between each one. It was a fascinating experience, and we bonded well while learning words from different languages. One interesting aspect of the local culture was their practice of sharing water ponds and farming tools.

We also observed the water reserves, where rainwater collected from higher elevations is used for farming. The system can be utilized during dry spells, thanks to an IoT-based rain calculation system installed by FTP UGM. This system helps farmers predict rainfall adequacy for crops and manage irrigation efficiently. While gravity mainly transports water, diesel pumps are gradually being replaced by electric ones to reduce costs. Previously, farmers could only harvest once a year, but now, with these practices, they can cultivate paddy and tobacco twice a year.

During the field trip, an interview was conducted with Pak Tuh Gimin, a local farmer. Pak Tuh Gimin has three children, all of whom are married and also work as farmers. His farming group manages a total of 120 hectares of land, which is divided among the members, with each receiving around 1,000 square meters, though the exact amount can vary.

According to Pak Tuh Gimin, the farming schedule is as follows:

• September, October, November: Vegetable season (“sayur”).
• January, February, March, April: Paddy season.
• April, May, June: Red onion (“bawang merah”) season.

This seasonal rotation allows the farmers to maximize the productivity of their land throughout the year.

After leaving the farm with wonderful memories, we arrived at Sekolah Sungai Siluk, where we had lunch. We then participated in an engaging gamelan class. The participants quickly learned to synchronize their playing, which was impressive.

We have gamelan class that we find interesting. We learned a lot about tempo, music note, and we learned how to play gamelan. At first it was hard to play. but after some adjustment gamelan seems so interesting and became a cool stuff we learned here. Also, gamelan is one of the most famous traditional music in Indonesia. We played a ‘gugur gunung’ song.

After the gamelan class, we made Es Telang, a drink made with Telegah flowers, coconut jelly, lychee jelly, basil seeds, ice, and lemon. The Telang flower comes in three colors: blue, pink, and white. It is easy to grow and offers numerous health benefits, such as being an antioxidant and helping with eye infections, inflammation, diabetes, and cholesterol. The flower is also known for its anti-aging properties. A fascinating feature is its color-changing ability when lemon is added: the blue flower turns purple, the pink turns blue, and the white remains unchanged.

The Telang flower is abundant in Selopamioro village, and FTP UGM has collaborated with the community to promote its benefits. The drink is easy to make and rejuvenating. I hope to try the Es Telang Herbal one day, as I am curious about its taste, which includes different ingredients. Typically, two to three flowers are needed to make 250 ml of water, and they can be either boiled in water or added to boiling water.

After enjoying the Es Telang, we boarded the buses for the journey back to FTP UGM.

This morning, August 9th 2024, at 07.30 Western Indonesia Time (GMT+7), marked the 11th day of the Summer Course (SC) 2024 held by the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

There were 4 speakers, 2 online and 2 on-site. The first lecture was on International Agricultural Development and Cooperation from Korea’s Perspective, moderated by Sintia Putri Pradita, M.Sc. from FAT UGM. Taeyoon Kim, Ph.D. from Seoul National University South Korea, explained about agricultural development especially related to GDP per capita with rural populations in Asian countries such as Japan and Korea from 1960 until now. He mentioned an example of food value implemented in the USA and agricultural contributions such as source of labor for the modern sector, saving for investment, foreign exchange through export, etc.      

Before continuing to the next session, we had a coffee break from 09.15-09.45. The second lecture was on Reducing Food Waste with Food Packaging, moderated by Dr. Inasanti Pandan Wangi from FAT UGM. Dr. Nur Alim Bahmid (on-site speaker) from National Research and Innovation Agency of the Republic Indonesia, explained the importance of food packaging to reduce food waste. He then gave some examples of new innovations of packaging to extend product’s shelf life such as Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), smart packaging, active packaging and intelligent packaging. He mentioned his brief research of antimicrobial packaging from mustard seed extracts to be incorporated in meat packaging.  

The second session ended at 11.30 then we moved to the next session which was lunch break and prayer time. The plenary started at 13.00 for the third lecture on Sustainable Manufacturing. Dr. Novita Sakundarini (on-site speaker) from University of Nottingham Malaysia explained the facts about our planet and current issues about global warming and climate change. She gave understanding about the importance of protecting the Earth and urgency of achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). She explained the new innovation for sustainable manufacturing such as AI and how industrial sectors such as Toyota, Niki and Ajinomoto implemented those policies in their company.    

The fourth session started after a 30 minute coffee break around 15.15. It was about Agro-industrial Sustainability and Digital Transformation, moderated by Thalia Naziha, M.Sc., MBA from FAT UGM. Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Markus Frank from Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Germany explained the concept of agricultural sustainability by giving participants farming simulation (online exercise) through a website. He explained the biodiversity and intensive agriculture as well as future farming. He mentioned the advantages of a sustainable food system such as high resource efficiency, value orientation, direct contact between producer and consumer, etc. 

During our field trip to the Pusat Inovasi Agroteknologi (PIAT) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), we explored innovative solutions to address Indonesia’s ongoing waste management challenges. The issue of imperfect waste management has become increasingly pressing, especially with the closure of the garbage landfill in Yogyakarta this year. This has highlighted the urgency of improving waste processing, which ideally begins at the household level or on a small scale.

At UGM’s RINDU plant, we witnessed firsthand the advancements in waste processing. The facility’s transformation of the landfill site was impressive, showcasing the before-and-after scenarios demonstrating their methods’ effectiveness. Food waste, a significant component of the waste stream, is managed at UGM using Black Soldier Flies and Maggot troops. This innovative approach reduces waste and provides sustainable solutions for feed production.

Drying process of Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Maggot BSF) for Animal Feed

Speaker: Arif Mujarab, PIAT, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Arif Mujarab, a worker at the Pusat Inovasi Agroteknologi Terpadu (PIAT) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, with two children and several years of experience, provided an overview of the process for drying black soldier fly larvae (BSF) to create animal feed. He explained that the process starts with selecting fresh, live maggots, which are then cleaned and weighed. Although the drying machine at PIAT has a capacity of 5 kilograms, he demonstrated the process using 2 kilograms for quicker results. The maggots are placed in a drying or roasting machine, and the drying process takes around 45 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, the maggots are checked for dryness, and the process continues until they are fully dried and ready for use as feed.

BSF maggot need to be separated into 3 different sizes, the smallest ones are not capable enough to digest organic matter. so they need to be cultivated in order to have a bigger size. the biggest size one are capable to digest all organic matter. the organic matter such as food waste but it needed longer time to proccess the hard part like eggshell.

Manufacturing Bottle Caps Using Recycled Materials

Speaker: Surono

Surono, who has worked at the facility for 13 years and is a father of two daughters, one of whom is preparing to enter college, discussed the manufacturing process of bottle caps using recycled materials. He described how plastic materials are first shredded into smaller pieces and then heated to a temperature of approximately 180 degrees Celsius for 15 to 17 minutes. Once heated, the materials are pressed and held under pressure for about 5 minutes. The formed bottle caps are then removed from the mold, completing the process.

Internship Experience in Energy and Waste Processing at PIAT

Speaker: Muhammad Ridwan Alfin, Marine Science Department, Universitas Padjadjaran

Muhammad Ridwan Alfin, a student from the Marine Science Department at Universitas Padjadjaran, completed a four-day internship at the Pusat Inovasi Agroteknologi Terpadu (PIAT) at Universitas Gadjah Mada. During his internship, he gained hands-on experience in energy and waste processing, which contrasted with his classroom learning. The practical fieldwork allowed him to apply his academic knowledge directly. He also emphasized the importance of teamwork, which he experienced throughout the internship, and noted that this opportunity has equipped him with valuable skills for his future career.

Our visit included practical experiences, such as hatching maggot eggs and participating in the collection, sorting, drying, and packing of maggots for feed. We also learned how to create eco-enzymes from organic food waste, an initiative that promotes sustainability and environmental responsibility. Additionally, the opportunity to hatch chicken eggs and interact with deer was a delightful experience, adding a fun and educational aspect to our visit.

UGM PIAT is truly making remarkable strides in waste management and sustainability. Their commitment to innovation and education is evident, and it was inspiring to see their efforts in action.

At PIAT FTP UGM, black soldier fly larvae are used for the waste conversation. So first we introduced the BSF life cycle. From egg to produce larvae it takes 7 days. This is one of the easiest and most popular processes in the world. For sustainable waste management, this plant collects waste from the UGM campus area. Then they sort out the waste in different categories like waste from food, waste from plastic etc. At Rindu plant, first food wastes the grinding at grinder machines and then when it comes to powder form they mix milk and some other ingredients to make quality full fertilisers. And lastly there also has a machinery for making granular forms of fertiliser. They shared that this eco-friendly waste management is really profitable. 

This morning, August 7th 2024, at 08.00 Western Indonesia Time (GMT+7), marked the 9th day of the Summer Course (SC) 2024 held by the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

There were 4 speakers, 3 online and 1 on-site. The first lecture was on Food Engineering, moderated by Wahyu Dwi Saputro, Ph.D. from FAT UGM. Prof. Dr. Rosnah Shamsudin, Professor from Universiti Putra Malaysia, explained about food processing including the primary and secondary techniques to enhance products/commodities shelf life, improve quality and functionally be more useful. She also mentioned the definition, goals, scoop, and the importance of food engineering. She elaborated the process and practices of Food Engineering and the possible research topics in food engineering. She stated the difference between agricultural engineering and food engineering and the role of food engineer in every supply chain to give understanding about the future career.       

Before continuing to the next session, we had a coffee break from 09.45-10.15. The second lecture was on Food Functionalization, moderated by Qurrotul A’yun, Ph.D.  from FAT UGM. Dr. Chaleeda Borompichaichartkul (on-site speaker) from Chulalongkorn University Thailand, explained the difference between functional food and food functions and how both of them were intercorrelated. She explained the trend of food in the new industry evolution as well as the lifestyle evolution as nowadays there are many noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) affecting society. She stated the importance of gut-brain axis and how active compounds, microbiota (fermented food), and meat alternatives can be great solutions. She also explained her latest research about fermented pineapple juice to produce bacteria cellulose (nata) especially co-fermentation with probiotics 

The second session ended at 12.00 then we moved to the next session which was lunch break and prayer time. The plenary started at 13.00 for the third lecture on Soil Health for Promoting Agricultural Production, moderated by Ahdiar Fikri Maulana, Ph.D. from FAT UGM. Dr. Katharina Keiblinger from The University of Natural Resources and LIfe Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) explained the characteristics and the structure of soil and how microbiota, microbial activity and the seasonal effects affected the soil. She also explained about co-creation of diverse stakeholders, locally available soil amendments, and future research about remediation strategies of heavy metal and soil parameters. 

The fourth session started after a 30 minute coffee break around 15.15. It was about Protein Transition and The Nutritional Quality of the Diet, moderated by Dr. Lily Arsanti Lestari from FAT UGM. Dr. Eduardo Capuano from Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands explained the example of protein transition and commodities that are potential for alternating meat protein such as legumes, insects, microalgae, mycoproteins, and PBMA. He showed the calculation of PDCAAS and DIAAS and ratios of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin B12 of each protein alternative compared to real meat (beef).  

This morning, August 5th 2024, at 08.00 Western Indonesia Time (GMT+7), marked the 7th day of the Summer Course (SC) 2024 held by the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

There were 4 speakers, 3 online and 1 on-site. The first lecture was on Water Management and Quality for the Agricultural System, moderated by Dr. Prieskarinda Lestari from FAT UGM. Prof. Gary R. Sands, Ph.D., Professor from University of Minnesota USA, explained the global distribution of agricultural areas and the global land used for food production. He mentioned the challenge and obstacles of global water issues especially in the agricultural sector and elaborated the solution as well as the opportunity for reducing agriculture’s water footprint to restore water quantity and quality. 

Before continuing to the next session, we had a coffee break from 09.45-10.15. The second lecture was on Irrigation and Climate Change, moderated by Muhammad Khoiru Zaki, Ph.D from FAT UGM. Prof. Dr. Ki Hee Ryu, Professor from Seoul National University South Korea, explained the global trends for irrigation in climate change mentioning Sustainable Development Goals Target 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation). He elaborated the effort for irrigation modernization in Indonesia both the challenges and the opportunities.

The second session ended at 12.00 then we moved to the next session which was lunch break and prayer time. The plenary started at 13.00 for the third lecture on Plant Factory, moderated by Imam Bagus Nugroho, M.Sc. from FAT UGM. Dr. Md. Parvez Islam from Ehime University, Japan explained artificial intelligence in agriculture. He showed many graphs about population, grain production and land used in Japan. He elaborated the challenges in the agriculture sector worldwide and the modern way to solve agricultural problems such as automation, AI, and robots to achieve the future vision of the society 5.0 plant factory.

The fourth session started after a 30 minute coffee break around 15.00. It was about Smart Farming and Climate Change, moderated by Bayu Nugraha, Ph.D. from FAT UGM. Bayu Dwi Apri Nugroho (on-site speaker) from FAT UGM explained the basics of climate change, the effect of climate change in the agriculture sector. He mentioned his latest interest in using technology for smart farming systems such as AI to forecast environmental conditions, drone, and smartphone application.