In collaboration with Udayana University, Mataram University and Sam Ratulangi University, ACIAR Project Holds Inception Meeting

Udayana University (Unud) hosted the Inception Meeting for ACIAR Project AGB/2021/215 Creating resilient communities smallholder-inclusive tourism markets in Indonesia; "Ag4Tourism". This activity was attended by the Heads of BRIDA, BRIN, Research Team from Udayana University, Mataram University (Unram), Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat), Representatives from The University of Adelaide as Project Lead at the Prama Hotel Sanur, Monday (2/10/2023).

This project is supported by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) as part of the ACIAR Agribusiness Program. In implementing its activities, the University of Adelaide is leading this project in collaboration with universities in Indonesia, namely Udayana University, Mataram University and Sam Ratulangi University. Meanwhile, BRIN researchers were involved in providing contributions and capacity and expertise in implementing the project.

The aim of this collaborative project is to enable smallholder farmers to adapt and accommodate changes and opportunities and increase engagement with the local tourism sector. Through cooperation in the agricultural sector, involving small farmers in three agricultural-tourism locations in the Indonesian ecosystem, including Bali, NTB and North Sulawesi, it is hoped that this will make society more resilient. The project, which will last for 5 years, will involve agricultural production and value chain research as well as capacity building in collaboration with local universities, government and industry stakeholders.

Vice Rector for Planning, Cooperation and Information Prof. I Putu Gede Adiatmika representing the Rector of Unud in his speech expressed his hope that this project could run smoothly in accordance with the next five year program involving three universities, BRIN led by The University of Adelaide. On this occasion, the Rector of Udayana University also conveyed a message that this collaborative project can provide mutual benefits for all stakeholders involved, both in terms of experience, so that it is hoped that the experience of this ACIAR project can be used at their respective universities.

Unud is also preparing international research collaboration, based on the experience presented by Tadulako University in Palu, there are many collaborative projects with Germany that provide benefits for research development as well as human resource development and higher education. We will use these benefits, prepare them to be implemented at Udayana University, so that we can build international research collaboration, develop human resources and also have an impact on the performance of Udayana University.

On a separate occasion Prof. I Made Supartha Utama as a team from Unud said that ACIAR, in collaboration with three university partners, namely Unud, Unram and Unsrat, created a project to build a collaborative capacity for agribusiness, uniting tourism with agriculture, which has always been an issue that the glory of tourism cannot be enjoyed by farmers. Through this project, analysis and facilitation will be carried out, especially how tourism can collaborate in increasing business capacity to provide benefits to farmers.