Jakarta – BRIN Public Relations. The Agricultural and Food Research Organization (ORPP) under the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has been spearheading the development of various food crops in line with existing market opportunities.
“This research is carried out by the Center for Food Crop Research (PRTP) and is on the right track as it aligns with the market and is conducted based on established scientific principles. There are six research centers under ORPP that also support this initiative,” explained Puji Lestari, Head of ORPP BRIN, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between BRIN and PT Sedana Panen Sejahtera.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Research and Development in the Field of Agriculture and Food was conducted by Puji Lestari, Head of ORPP BRIN, and Novan Satrianto, CEO of PT Sedana Panen Sejahtera, at the Sarwono Prawirohardjo Science Area Office of BRIN Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, on Monday (26/06).
On this occasion, Puji also stated, “The collaboration between BRIN and PT Sedana Panen Sejahtera is not only about research cooperation but also about how both parties can utilize the available facilities and infrastructure, be open to each other, and share information so that we can use a lot of data and information together.”
Representing PT Sedana Panen Sejahtera, CEO Novan Satrianto expressed gratitude towards BRIN. He mentioned that BRIN has engaged and invited industry players to market research products and innovations, especially those related to food crops. Novan further stated his enthusiasm for collaborating with BRIN, as research related to food crops holds great market potential both domestically and internationally.
“As an example, one food crop developed by BRIN and for cultivation is sorghum. This plant can be developed throughout the year, while we only have two seasons with suitable climate conditions and sufficient land availability,” he clarified.
According to Novan, Indonesia is one of the countries with potential for the development of sorghum crops, necessitating the exchange of ideas between researchers and industry players. One of the attractions for agricultural industry players is the desire to utilize idle land for greater utility and the betterment of community welfare.
Meanwhile, Head of PRTP, Yudistira Nugraha, explained that the collaboration between the two parties is highly justified. He stated that the company possesses various facilities managed from upstream to downstream and has the potential for collaboration.
Regarding sorghum crops, he revealed that researchers from the Ministry of Agriculture have given greater attention since joining BRIN. This focus has increased not only due to the President’s instructions but also because the research portion has grown. He expressed gratitude that BRIN can collaborate directly with stakeholders, especially PT Sedana Panen Sejahtera, which is the most promising partner.
“For your information, PRTP BRIN has conducted research on sorghum crops, from preparing superior seed levels to cultivation techniques that have resulted in excellent varieties,” said Yudistira.
“Additionally, researchers are also studying sorghum cultivation by exploring the dynamics of sorghum biomass and its relationship with livestock productivity,” he concluded.