80 Years of Prof Bungaran Saragih: To Become an Advanced Country in 2045, Indonesia Must Become an Agroindustrial Country
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of Prof Bungaran Saragih – a central figure in the development of Indonesian agribusiness – IPB University held a reflective forum entitled “Revisit Agribusiness Thought as a Basis for Reindustrialization Strategy”.
The event was organized by the Agribusiness Department of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) of IPB University together with the Indonesian Agribusiness Association (AAI), the Indonesian Agricultural Economics Association (Perhepi), AGRINA, and the Palm Oil Agribusiness Strategic Policy Institute (PASPI).
Prof Bungaran Saragih said at the event that agricultural downstreaming is not new, but now is the time to work on it more seriously and thoroughly.
“If Indonesia wants to grow 8 percent per year and become a developed country in 2045, then agriculture must be the foundation. We must become an agro-industrial country,” he said.
This event is an important momentum to reflect on the contribution of agribusiness thinking to the direction of Indonesia’s economic development, especially in the context of agriculture-based reindustrialization.
In his speech, the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB University, Dr Irfan Syauqi Beik, highlighted Prof Bungaran’s great contribution in encouraging the birth of the sharia economy and halal supply chain in Indonesia, which now still needs to be strengthened because Indonesia’s share only reaches 7 percent.
Prof Bayu Krisnamurthi, Professor of Agribusiness Policy at IPB University and host of the event, said that reindustrialization is the only way for Indonesia to get out of the middle income trap and achieve 8 percent economic growth.
“Agricultural downstreaming is a strategic entry point into such reindustrialization, by placing agribusiness as a large framework for economic development,” he said.
In his position paper presentation, Prof Harianto, Professor of Agricultural Economics at IPB University, elaborated on the concept of downstream as a key strategy based on a holistic agribusiness system-from upstream to downstream.
He emphasized the importance of value chain governance and strengthening agrifarms as the main pillars so that Indonesia can strengthen its position in the global value chain.
A number of national figures also responded to this idea, including Muhammad Abdul Ghani, President Director of PT Perkebunan Nusantara III, who presented concrete steps to revitalize the national sugar industry.
Esther Sri Astuti, Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), emphasized the need for a supporting ecosystem for downstreaming such as regulation, financing, and human resource development.
Meanwhile, Tungkot Sipayung, an agribusiness expert, emphasized that downstream agriculture is the locomotive of the national agribusiness system because it touches the majority of Indonesian people.
The event then continued with a warm celebration of Prof Bungaran Saragih’s 80th birthday. Family, colleagues, and friends also gave greetings, speeches, and art performances, including from children and grandchildren and the Kesatuan Education Foundation, making this scientific forum feel very human and meaningful.
This forum demonstrated IPB University’s expertise in leading national strategic discourse. With strong scientific roots and extensive networks, IPB University continues to be at the forefront in contributing thoughts and real solutions for the development of Indonesia based on the strength of agribusiness. (*//Rz) (IAAS/NRA)
