Indonesia and Australia commit to collaborating on agricultural research for development

Six notable Indonesian universities and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) have all signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to commit to working together on agricultural research for development.

The MOUs aim to build the relationship between Indonesian and Australian researchers and support the promotion and development of collaborative agricultural research-for-development projects and activities.

The first of the MOU signings have taken place while ACIAR CEO Prof Andrew Campbell visited Indonesia this week for several significant meetings about Australia’s support with helping to achieve Indonesia’s agricultural research-for-development objectives.

Prof Campbell said these MOUs are an important agreement to signify mutual understanding about the ways Australia and these Indonesian institutions can work together.

‘I am pleased that ACIAR is able to formalise its partnership efforts with these universities in Indonesia and we look forward to seeing more impact,’ said Prof Campbell.

‘Our past impact assessments clearly demonstrate that expert researchers from Australia and in-country working together are more likely to achieve the benefits for project beneficiaries including farmers, rural communities and policy makers.’

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University of Mataram (UNRAM) in Lombok is one of the first universities to sign the MOU this week but has actually been collaborating with ACIAR for the past 20 years, particularly on livestock systems research.

UNRAM Head of Office for International Affairs Prof Dahlanuddin, who is also a project leader for several ACIAR-supported projects, said that the relationship and projects with ACIAR have proven to be successful and the MOU will strengthen it further.

‘I have benefitted tremendously from more than 20 years collaboration with funding support from ACIAR. Now I have a vast network internationally and I am well recognised in my field. This has also improved the international reputation of our university,’ said Prof Dahlanuddin.

UNRAM Rector Prof Bambang Hari Kusumo added that the University of Mataram has the longest history amongst Indonesian universities for conducting research projects which have been continuously funded by ACIAR for more than 20 years.

‘In the past our collaborations have been under the MOU between ACIAR and the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. I am very happy that this time we have signed a MOU directly with ACIAR. We look forward to implementing the new ACIAR-supported agribusiness project "Agriculture for Tourism" very soon,’ said Prof Bambang Hari Kusumo.

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IPB University in Bogor and University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta have also been long term partners with ACIAR while Udayana University in Bali, Diponegoro University in Semarang and Sam Ratulangi University in Manado are partnering together for their first ACIAR-supported project in agribusiness.

All terms in each of the MOUs with each university are consistent to ensure there is equality and reciprocity among all parties.

For information on current ACIAR-supported projects in Indonesia please visit: ACIAR Indonesia