PT BLST IPB University and Perum Bulog Cooperate to Develop Climate-Smart Rice Cultivation Technology

The agricultural sector in Indonesia plays an important role in sustaining national food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. However, the sector is faced with various challenges, one of which is climate change. Climate change has a negative impact on the agricultural sector, such as droughts, floods, plant disease pests, and reduced crop yields.

PT Botani Seed Indonesia (part of PT Bogor Life Science and Technology/BLST Group – Holding Company IPB University), is a food and horticultural seed company and other agricultural production facilities based on university innovation.

One of the flagship products of PT Botani Seed Indonesia is 9 superior rice varieties resulting from IPB University breeder innovation for the food crop sector. The nine rice varieties are IPB 3S, IPB 9G, IPB 10G, IPB 11S BEPE, IPB 12S, IPB 13S, IPB 14S, and IPB 15S seeds. Varieties produced by IPB breeders have the character of ‘climate-smart seeds’, including effective use of water and saving up to 30 per cent of fertiliser use.

To support the optimisation of the potential of these varieties, the implementation of climate-smart cultivation technology is required. The technology is characterised by high productivity, resistance to the effects of climate change such as flooding, drought, pest and disease attacks and plant stress due to changing macro and micro climatic conditions and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

PT Botani Seed Indonesia in collaboration with experts from the Rice Research Group of IPB University and supported by the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Promoting Rural Income through Support for Markets in Agriculture (AIP-Prisma) programme has formulated a climate-smart rice cultivation technology. The formulation is named ‘Asta Citha Padi’ which means 8 Climate-Smart Rice Cultivation Technology Innovations.

The 8 innovation components include 1) Development of superior varieties; (2) Seed system; (3) Cultivation system; (4) Nutrient management; (5) Water management; (6) Upstream-downstream mechanisation; (7) Environmentally friendly integrated pest management (IPM); and (8) Supply chain. The integrated campaign presented will be further realised as a Climate-Smart Rice Cultivation Technology Platform in Indonesia.

Related to the implementation of this formulation, PT BLST as the parent company of PT Botani Seed Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) of cooperation with Perum Bulog regarding the development of climate-smart agriculture for rice commodities. The signing took place at the IPB International Convention Centre (IICC), Bogor (3/9). 

Director of PT Botani Seed Indonesia, Ir Dadang Syamsul Munir, MM said, the plan is to test various models of climate-smart rice cultivation development according to specific locations in various areas of cooperation between the Production Partnership Unit-Perum Bulog, PT Botani Seed Indonesia-BLST Group, partner farmers, and other stakeholders.

“Hopefully the efforts made can contribute to the development of national food security amid the threat of climate change, through changes in the Indonesian rice cultivation model that is oriented towards high productivity, low cost, and low carbon,” he hoped. 

At the same time, IPB Press also handed over a book entitled Strategies for Maintaining Agricultural Production in the Face of Climate Change to the Director of Supply Chain and Public Services of Perum Bulog.

“This book comes as a response to the big challenge facing the Indonesian and global agricultural sector, namely climate change. With more frequent disasters such as droughts, floods, and pest and disease attacks due to climate change, efforts to maintain agricultural production are becoming increasingly urgent,” said Erick Wahyudyono, Director of IPB Press. (*/Rz) (IAAS/RUM)