AGH IPB University students join Sakura Science Programme at Suwa University of Science, Japan
Six students of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture (AGH) of the Faculty of Agriculture (Faperta) IPB University participated in the Sakura Science Program (SSP) organised by Suwa University of Science with host Prof Kazuo Ishii and lecturer of Crop Production Division of IPB University, Dr Deden Derajat Matra who is a partner of the activity being held recently.
Sakura Science Program (SSP) is one of the programmes of the Japan Science and Technology Agency to invite students, researchers and lecturers from around the world to get to know Japan more closely in the field of Science and Technology. This makes it a positive thing for participants with a good purpose to strengthen friendship between the two countries.
“This year’s Sakura Science Program (SSP) activity takes the theme Genome Breeding and Smart Agricultural Technology Learning Program Contributes to Optimise Indonesian Oil Palm Cultivation in Response to The Climate Change,” said Dr Deden.
Dr Deden explained that the theme is used to prepare students in understanding big data and artificial intelligence (AI) that can be used in agriculture, especially in molecular basic science and its development in the field of genomics and facilitate in analysing quantitative data of field research.
“In addition to lecture activities, in this programme we visited one of the agricultural colleges Yatsugatake Center Farm College. It is a school that specialises in skills in crop cultivation, as well as animal husbandry. In addition, the students prepared three typical Indonesian dances to be performed in the cultural exchange at this school. The Japanese students were very enthusiastic to watch the Nandak Betawi dance, Indang dance from West Sumatra and Poco-poco dance,” said Dr Deden.
He continued, in addition to learning the genomic approach, the participants of Sakura Science Program (SSP) were also invited to visit tourist attractions such as Suwa Taisha Kamisha Honmiya, and Miraikan museum in Tokyo. “In addition to IPB University students, the Sakura Science Program (SSP) activities were also attended by students from Riau University (UNRI) and Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM),” he explained. (IAAS/RSL)
