IPB University Expert Advocates Nexus Approach for Sustainable Agriculture’s Future
An expert from IPB University recently discussed critical challenges in the agricultural sector during the university’s Professorial Scientific Oration Pre-Conference held on February 10, 2025. Professor Setyo Pratiwi, representing the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, highlighted pressing issues such as climate change, natural resource degradation, and increasing food demand due to population growth.
Need for a Comprehensive Approach
Professor Pratiwi underscored the need for a comprehensive approach to transform agriculture into an industrialized sector that incorporates technology, modern management practices, and sustainability principles. One significant concern mentioned was the disconnect between research innovations and their practical implementation, which has led to the inadequate adoption of new technologies by farmers.
Bridging the Gap
Addressing this gap, she stated, “The disconnect between technology developers and end users results in research findings that often do not meet the practical needs of agriculture.” Professor Pratiwi advocates for a systematic approach aimed at bridging the divide between research, technology implementation, sustainable business models, and farmer welfare.
Nexus-Based Strategy
The professor proposed a nexus-based strategy, an integrative framework that connects research, technology, and community well-being. This approach is grounded in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus concept introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2011 and focuses on the interrelations among key research areas, the creation of scalable business solutions, and the practices required to ensure sustainability that benefits farmers.
Customizing Business Solutions
She noted, “The synergy between system engineering, agricultural informatics, and the nexus framework forms a strategic approach to close the gap between technological innovation and its real-world applications.” Additionally, she emphasized the necessity of customizing business solutions to cater to various categories of farmers, including small-scale, mid-sized, and large-scale operations. This systematic framework, according to Professor Pratiwi, would enable a thorough assessment of diverse agricultural needs and the capabilities for technology adoption.
Potential Pathways to Enhance Productivity
The views expressed by Professor Pratiwi offer a potential pathway to enhance productivity within the agricultural sector while promoting sustainable practices that address the significant challenges encountered by the industry on a global scale.
(Source: IPB University)
