Bogor, 25 July 2025 — SEAMEO BIOTROP (Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Biology) reaffirms its commitment to national food security by organizing the Urban Agriculture Training for Educational Communities, held at SMAN 2 Bogor from 22 to 25 July 2025.

This initiative is part of a national program aimed at building the capacity of educational communities to manage limited land in a productive and sustainable way, while supporting the development of urban farming ecosystems within school environments.

The training was attended by 31 teachers and educators from various educational levels, including elementary, junior high, senior high, vocational, special education schools, and modern Islamic boarding schools across Bogor and surrounding areas. Participating institutions included SMAN 1 Ciampea, SMAN 1 Megamendung, SMKN 3 Bogor, SMK Negeri 1 Bogor, and Nuraida Islamic Boarding School, among others.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Elis Rosdiawati, Acting Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, emphasized the importance of collaboration within educational communities to develop innovative and sustainable solutions amidst land limitations and climate challenges.

The event was officially opened by H.R. Arso Budiriyadi, S.Si., M.Si., representing the Head of the Regional Education Office II of West Java Province. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of building food self-sufficiency through urban farming powered by modern agricultural technologies. He also encouraged participants to ensure the training leads to tangible action and sustainable programs that empower schools as agents of productive and impactful urban agriculture.

The training covered five core topics in urban agriculture: hydroponics, aquaponics, culinary mushrooms, tabulampot (fruit plants in pots), and edible fish cultivation. Participants were also guided in developing action plans to implement urban farming in their respective schools.

Dr. R. Bambang Aryan Soekisno, M.Pd., Principal of SMAN 2 Bogor, warmly welcomed the program at his school and expressed strong support for transforming the school into a center for both learning and hands-on urban farming practice. “This training is highly relevant to today’s educational needs. We hope our students not only learn theoretical concepts but also apply them directly in the school environment,” he said.

This program is part of a national initiative that began with an internal In-House Training (Feb–Mar 2025), followed by a National Workshop (15 April 2025), which identified 164 potential participating schools and 16 model schools, and a subsequent Focus Group Discussion (16 May 2025) that finalized training schedules and field mentoring activities through October 2025.
The training was implemented using the STEAM MaMa approach—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Manufacturing, and Management—to strengthen both educational and practical dimensions of school-based urban agriculture. SMAN 2 Bogor has been designated as one of the model schools for the western region, alongside schools in Mataram, Ambon, Muara Enim, Riau, Jember, Bandung, and Kupang.

Dr. Doni Yusri, S.P., M.M., Deputy Director for Programs at SEAMEO BIOTROP, underlined that urban agriculture addresses not only food-related issues, but also serves as a platform for character education, entrepreneurship, and environmental resilience. “We aim to empower schools as drivers of self-reliant agricultural culture within communities,” he stated.

To support the implementation and sustainability of the program, SEAMEO BIOTROP also provided portable hydroponic installations as initial practice tools for participating schools.

Through this initiative, SEAMEO BIOTROP hopes to establish a network of educators and pioneering schools in urban farming, enabling them to become agents of change in building sustainable, education-based food security ecosystems—aligned with the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (hcn, zn)