The SEAMEO-BIOTROP SMARTS-BE program is the realization of the SMK Revitalization Program of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. As the follow-up action of the SMARTS-BE program, the Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Dr Zulhamsyah Imran visited the Polytechnic Institute of Indonesia-Venezuela (POLIVEN) in Aceh Province on 19-22 February 2021.

Dr Zulhamsyah was welcomed by the Head of Education and Culture Office of Aceh Province, the Headmaster of POLIVEN, the Headmaster of SMK PP Saree Aceh, and the Headmaster of SMKN 1 Banda Aceh. During the visit, Dr Zulhamsyah emphasize the importance of collaborative programs and activities among academics, the business and industrial worlds and communities.

The best practices for this collaborative programs was shown by SMK PP Saree Aceh by developing orange plantation. The harvested oranges were then processed into soft candy, lemon juice and essential oil. The achievements triggered the Headmaster of SMK PP Saree Aceh to participate in the CEO training held by Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Indonesia, Institut Pertanian Bogor and Binus.

The SMK PP Saree Aceh is then chosen as the Model School for Food Production and developed into integrated precision agriculture program. This program has been involving the surrounding community, including the POLIVEN and PT PEMA, an industry that produces cavendish banana. This program is supported by the Education and Culture Office of Aceh Province.

During the visit, Dr Zulhamsyah also held a BIOTROP to School Webinar with theme “SMARTS-BE toward Online Hybrid Learning System and New Characters Building”, with the Headmaster of SMK PP Saree Aceh and the Headmaster of POLIVEN Aceh as resource persons.

Many collaborative ideas are triggered by this visit. Among others is a program to produce cavendish banana seedlings using tissue culture technique that will be conducted by SMK PP Saree Aceh and POLIVEN.

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