Dr Deden D Matra: The Teaching Practitioner Program Assists the Transfer of Appropriate Technology on Campus
In 2023, the Republic of Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemdikbudristek) in collaboration with the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) will hold a Teaching Practitioner (PM) program for students. Dr Deden D Matra, IPB University lecturer from the Plant Production Division, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture (AGH), Faculty of Agriculture said, this program is very helpful in the process of transferring appropriate technology.
Dr Deden took the initiative to propose the PM program with practitioner M Hanif Wicaksono in the Fruit Plants course (AGH1347). Hanif Wicaksono, winner of the Environmental Kalpataru award (2019) for his dedication in protecting the diversity of Kalimantan fruit, is a practitioner in this program.
"This PM program provides an opportunity for non-lecturer practitioners in tertiary institutions or research educational institutions to provide valuable experience to students regarding the experience that a practitioner has engaged in," said Dr Deden. He hopes that this program will become a bridge for students to get to know the post-campus world of work.
Dr Deden revealed that since 2018, many research activities in the exploration of local Kalimantan fruit have been carried out together with Hanif Wicaksono until it has been published in a highly reputable journal in Scientific Reports (Nature Publisher) about Kasturi fruit (Mangifera casturi), one of the endemic fruits of South Kalimantan.
"With this PM program, students can interact directly with practitioners offline so they can be inspired by the concrete steps taken by practitioners in the field of conservation of fruit plants typical of Kalimantan. Of course it is hoped that the students who attend will have the desire to preserve biodiversity in their respective regions," added Dr Deden.
In the teaching practice activity held at the Leuwikopo Experimental Garden, Dramaga Campus of IPB, Hanif conveyed about the local South Kalimantan fruit and its propagation techniques. He was enthusiastic in conveying the types of local Kalimantan fruit, starting from the types of Mangifera, Durio, Artocarpus, Baccaurea and other genera that are typical of southern Kalimantan.
Furthermore, Hanif explained starting from the genetic diversity of each species such as the Durio Genus which has many types of skin color and also the aroma of durio which is different from other types of durian in general. (SMH/Rz) (IAAS/Res)
