FMIPA UGM and North Halmahera Regency Government Establish Partnership to Develop Coconut and Nutmeg Downstreaming
The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the North Halmahera Regency Government have established a partnership to develop the downstreaming of coconut and nutmeg. The partnership was formalized through the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) during a public lecture held at the Herman Johannes Auditorium, FMIPA UGM, on Thursday (1/10).
The partnership aims to build on North Halmahera’s potential in coconut and nutmeg by bringing science and technology into the development process. The downstreaming initiative is expected to add value to local commodities, strengthen processing industries, and open up new opportunities for regional economic growth.
The event continued with a public lecture delivered by North Halmahera Regent Dr. Piet Hein Babua, M.Si., who spoke on the theme “Transforming Regional Economic Resilience through Accelerating Coconut and Nutmeg Downstreaming and Export Governance in North Halmahera Regency.”
In his presentation, Piet laid out the North Halmahera Regency Government’s efforts to drive economic transformation by developing the region’s leading commodities. One of the steps being taken is to move coconut and nutmeg beyond raw-material production by developing them through processing, industrial activities, trade, and export.
Piet said downstreaming forms part of the region’s strategy to add value to commodities while expanding their economic benefits for local communities. The development of processing industries in the region is also expected to create jobs, open up business opportunities, attract investment, and strengthen farmers’ position across commodity value chains.
The initiative is expected to bring together North Halmahera’s commodity potential and the academic and research capacity of UGM. Science and technology can help develop processing methods, bring value-added products to market, and support the management and marketing of commodities as they move into wider markets.
Alongside coconut, nutmeg development also forms part of the collaboration between the North Halmahera Regency Government and FMIPA UGM. The initiative opens up opportunities for the local government and higher education institutions to work together in connecting regional development needs with research and innovation.
The event then moved into a question-and-answer session with participants before wrapping up with the presentation of a souvenir to the speaker, followed by a group photo.
The partnership between FMIPA UGM and the North Halmahera Regency Government also supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, SDG 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure, and SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals. By bringing together the local government and higher education, the collaboration provides a platform to tap into local commodity potential through science, technology, and innovation while supporting sustainable regional economic development.
Writer: Inna Mutifah
Photographer: Afiandina Sukma