Professor Chair Holder of IPB: Ecotechnology Engineering to Support the Sustainability of Agroindustry

Indonesia's agro-industry products are expected to meet domestic demand and compete in the international market. For that, the agro-industry must be run effectively and efficiently. In practice, there must be mastery and implementation of ecotechnology engineering to support the sustainability of the agroindustry.

This was stated by Professor Chair Holder of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology of Bogor Agricultural University (FATETA IPB), Prof. Dr. Nastiti Siswi Indrasti, IPU, in press conference prior her  scientific oration at IPB Campus, Baranangsiang, Bogor, on 5 October 2017.

In general, adding value is the process of changing or transforming a product from its original state to a more valuable state. Many raw commodities have intrinsic value in their original state. For example a ton of fresh palm fruit bunches will produce  220 kilograms of CPO at a price of 800 dollars per ton and 20 kilogram Crude Palm Kernel Oil (CPKO) at a price of 1,200 dollars per ton. Furthermore, 220 kilograms of CPO can be processed into 160 kilograms (73 percent) of palm olein which can be used for cooking oil and 46 kilograms (21 percent) of palm stearin and 11 kilogram (5 percent) by product.

"It's all the first-stage in downstream product. The next stage produce varies, may also have a different product such as food and also for oleochemical production," she said.

According to Prof. Nastiti, clean production concept must be applied for agro-industry development. This concept will gain many advantages both in terms of the environment and economically. The concept reduces waste and costs, and increase productivity, also reduce disposal problems and prospects of efficient disposal.

In the future, agro-industry development must be balanced and in harmony with the environment. Development is not only processing the resources, but also managing those resources for future generations.

Some of ecotechnology engineering designed by Prof. Nastiti and her research team are engineering of composting ecotechnology, chitin extraction and chitosan production, nanosilics and nanosng, membrane filtration and electrolyte membranes. This technology, Ecotechnology is an applied science that seeks to fulfill human needs while causing minimal ecological disrupution, by harnessing and manipulating natural resources.

Ecotechnology is able to replace conventional technology. Its implementation can be a "win-win solution" for business and environmental interests. Therefore, the role of ecotechnology is very important.

"Ecotechnology engineering will transform unworthy materials into more valuable materials, that beneficial for human life," she said. (Wied)