MALANG —In order to increase students' scientific insight, the Faculty of Agriculture-Animal Science, Muhammadiyah University of Malang, organizes guest lectures in an effort to develop students' sense and understanding of the courses taught. The guest lecture organized by the Faculty of Agriculture Animal Science aims to develop and improve the quality of the study program by increasing cooperation with expert partners or competent state agencies so that it is beneficial for lecturers to improve the quality of learning activities so that students have optimal experience and knowledge to learn and apply in the world of education. Therefore, the Faculty of Agriculture Animal Science has organized several guest lecture programs in two of its study programs, namely the forestry study program and the agrotechnology study program.
Forestry Update Course (FUCo), organized by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in collaboration with the Forum of Indonesian Forestry Universities (FORETIKA), is one of the guest lecture agendas carried out by the Forestry Study Program of the Faculty of Agriculture-Livestock. The guest lecture was held in the UMM Senate Conference Room on Saturday, October 28, 2023. The guest lecture was attended by all active forestry students who attended offline and online via Zoom meeting or YouTube. In addition, the activity was participated in by the dean and lecturers of the Faculty of Agriculture-Animal Science as well as competent resource persons, namely Ir. Dyah Murtiningsih M.Hum (Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation) and Ir. Medrilzam, M.Prof. Econ, Ph.D (Director of Environment Bappenas).
This guest lecture was organized with the intention of developing the Forestry Update Course (FUCo), which is a lecture activity on issues and policies as well as current practices in the forestry sector for forestry students throughout Indonesia by forestry stakeholders. In the guest lecture, it was conveyed that "currently the world is experiencing a crisis condition that can have an impact on environmental damage, so it is necessary to control environmental pollution to prevent damage and extinction by making several efforts, such as processing industrial waste, maximizing watershed processing, processing mining waste and socializing awareness of environmental care" said several speakers in the guest lecture.
In addition, it is not only the Forestry Study Program that organizes guest lectures. Saturday, October 28, 2023, located in the GKB Hall 4 Lt. 9 UMM Agrotechnology Study Program, also did not want to lose to organizing exciting guest lectures. In its implementation, the Agrotechnology Study Program held a guest lecture with the theme "Answering Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Industrial Era 5.0". All new agrotechnology students attended it. The guest lecture also presented competent speakers such as Dr. Ir. Nurdiah Husnah, M.Si. (Head of BSIP JESTRO), Ir. Arif Wibowo (Director of PT. Sumber Alam Unggul) and Ir. Suwarno, MM (Director of PT. Syngenta Seed Indonesia).
In the guest lecture, it was conveyed that "currently, the attraction to the field of agriculture is experiencing a decline because it is only underestimated. However, in fact, its role as the key to creating an agricultural ecosystem for human needs is significant. The declining attractiveness can be caused by several factors, such as the technology used in agriculture is less modern, there is a more attractive land conversion and little capital to build agriculture," said the speaker. Therefore, the required human resources have decreased, so there is a need for cooperation between human resource expertise and technological intelligence to realize a thriving agriculture in the 5.0 era. This can be realized by collaborative efforts between unique design and automation systems such as in the application of fertilizer making, the seeding process in creating superior plant seeds, spraying fertilizers and watering plants. That way, prominent agriculture will be made, supported by the sophistication of artificial technology in maximizing and developing a superior agricultural system in the 5.0 era.
