Student representatives from the Institute of Animal Science (IAS) participated in the recently concluded “7th Summer Course Program on Challenges and Opportunities for Livestock and Agricultural Production in Responding to the Issue of the Global Food Crisis” last July 9-22, 2023 at the Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia.

They were Angelo Aquino (BSA major in Animal Science), Angel Joy Cape (BS ABT major in Animal Biotechnology), King Cj Nerida (BSA major in Animal Science), and Elyzah Parcon (BS ABT major in Animal Biotechnology).

The two-week summer course program featured several esteemed speakers who discussed global issues such as trends in consumer demand for various livestock, innovation, and possible challenges and opportunities given such situations. Aside from lectures, the program also included an introduction to Yogyakarta’s rich cultural heritage that enabled a learning experience beyond the classroom.

In the first week, the students were encouraged to participate in class discussions regarding international issues that may be applicable in their home countries. One of the lectures titled, “Sustainable Development in Thai Economy Under SDGs and BCG Model: Roles of University Implications and Practices” delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Weerapon Thongma from Maejo University in Thailand used the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by United Nation Member States as a definition to promote the National Strategies in Thailand.

Dr. Thongma discussed the integration of the BCG Model (bioeconomy, circular economy, and green economy) to promote the four fields of interest in Thailand, namely Agriculture, Innovative Industry, Medical Hub, and Tourism. With the integration of agricultural higher education institutions in Asia in creating innovations to achieve such goals and how this applies to the Philippines, the recommendation brought up was to frame national policies for agricultural innovation systems.

With the interesting topics presented involving the global setting and the current situation of animal science and the animal industry, the group from IAS actively participated in the discussions

Other presenters included: Prof. Dr. Subejo from the Faculty of Agriculture at UGM for, “Improving Human Resource Capabilities in Indonesian Farming for Maintaining Food Security and Coping Global Climate Changes”; Dr. Gathoni Gachango from the Pwani University in Kenya who discussed the “Sustainable Food Production in Kenya”; and Prof. Dr. Ali Agus from the Faculty of Animal Science in UGM for “Livestock Industry Development in Southeast Asia: Indonesia”.

The summer course program also initiated out-of-classroom learning such as laboratory work and field trips for hands-on and practical experiences. These involved the ice cream, meatball, and sausage processing inside the facilities at UGM.

The Village Tour in Desa Brayut exposed the participants to the system in agricultural production such as plowing land, planting rice, and catching fish from a pond by hand which encouraged the applications of theory in livestock and crop management.

Aside from the lectures and field trips, the participants were engaged in cultural activities such as learning how to read and write in Bahasa Indonesia and Aksara Jawa; playing the Angklung, a type of idiophone developed in Indonesia; and visiting places of cultural interests including the Prambanan Templeand Keraton Yogyakarta.

The group from IAS showcased their creativity and skills as they presented the Filipino culture during the Agri+Culture Presentation where participants were grouped according to their respective countries and schools to feature a unique agricultural practice done in their home countries.

The IAS student representatives bagged 1st Place for their presentation in the Agri+Culture segment, and brought home other awards such as Most Active Participant (Cape), 1st and 2nd in the Lost at Sea where participants are tasked to rank items from least to most useful in a fire in the middle of the ocean (Cape and Parcon, respectively), and Best in Javanese Writing (Nerida and Parcon). Along with other Filipino participants, the group performed the Cariñosa, a Philippine folk dance dating back to the colonial-era of Spanish times. This was performed as part of the Closing Ceremony and Cultural Night, where each country performed and represented their country’s culture.

Contributors:

King Cj L. Nerida (BS Agriculture), Angelo C. Aquino (BS Agriculture), Elyzah A. Parcon (BS Agricultural Biotechnology), and Angel Joy G. Cape (BS Agricultural Biotechnology)