The Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) conducted its Special Graduate Seminar on 15 January 2021 under the SEARCA Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE) platform. The graduate seminar is held once every semester and highlights outstanding research by SEARCA scholars from their graduate thesis. Hosting the seminar is the Center’s way to support the scholars’ academic milestones and to recognize their capacity to produce quality research that has great impact in agriculture and rural development.
Mr. Bayu Rizky Pratama, SEARCA alumnus, discussed his research during the Special Graduate Seminar on 15 January 2021.
Mr. Bayu Rizky Pratama shared his Master’s thesis titled “Analysis of the Factors Determining Farmers Adoption and Strategies for the Development of Single Origin Processing Scheme by Coffee Farmers.” Mr. Pratama received his double Master’s degrees in Agricultural & Resources Economics at Kasetsart University in Thailand, and in Agricultural Management at Montpellier SupAgro in France through the SEARCA full MS/PhD scholarship and the ERASMUS+ Scholarship for Double Degree Master Program. Currently, he works at Muhadi Setiabudi University in Brebes, Indonesia as Secretary of the Vice Rector III.
Mr. Pratama briefly discussed the coffee industry in Indonesia, and its importance to the farmers and the country’s economy, as springboard for his presentation. His research focused on the adoption of a narrow scale GI regulation among farmers in the Malabar, Tilu, and Patuha mountains to produce single origin Java Preanger coffee. GI or the issuance of Geographical Indication leads to more exportable, recognizable, and trustworthy coffee in the market. This would eventually generate stable income for coffee producers. Focusing on a narrow scale GI regulation, Mr. Pratama expounded that it will be more manageable to establish a monitoring and sanction system in the farmer’s local area as opposed to relying solely on large-scale government monitoring support. The study also highlighted the positive effects of collective action benefit within the group which enabled farmers to set the attribution of coffee production, regulations, and sanctions. It also led to establishing common perception and goals among the farmers. The most important strategy which emerged in the study is farmer institutional improvement which enhanced the capacity building and training of farmers within groups.
Besides his research, Mr. Pratama also shared his journey as a graduate student and how he was able to get the opportunity to earn his double degree from renowned universities in Southeast Asia and Europe.
SEARCA continuously offers activities such as the Special Graduate Seminar to support its scholars who are envisioned to pave for the development of the Southeast Asian region and to pursue the growth and progress of future leaders that would Accelerate Transformation through Agricultural Innovation. Previously held face-to-face, this year’s graduate seminars will maximize the use of information and communication technology through the SOLVE platform to inform, educate, and share evidence-based solutions and tested technologies, as well as best practices on the ground. This is SEARCA’s immediate response to the emerging impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic on food security.