Bogor, 30 April 2026 – SEAMEO BIOTROP organized a workshop and focus group discussion themed on strengthening food security through technology-based smart urban farming for the education community. The activity was conducted in a hybrid format, with offline sessions held at the Jati Room and online via Zoom.

The offline session was attended by 50 participants, consisting of SEAMEO BIOTROP staff and school principals from Bogor and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, the online session involved 150 participants from schools across Indonesia, representing the Western, Central, and Eastern regions, as well as representatives from relevant Education Offices.

In her remarks, Vivi Andriani, Head of the Bureau of Planning and Cooperation at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, emphasized that smart urban farming must be sustainably integrated into school curricula to support food security. She highlighted the important role of teachers and school principals as key drivers in ensuring that these practices create real impacts, extending to families and the wider community.

The Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Edi Santosa emphasized the importance of establishing a dedicated working team to ensure the sustainability and quality of the program. The team is tasked to: (1) refine and improve the training modules in alignment with the curriculum, (2) systematically integrate Smart Urban Farming (SUF) into the existing educational curriculum, and (3) foster optimism and strengthen the commitment of stakeholders in implementing SUF as part of a practical approach to food security and education. This directive serves as a strategic foundation for strengthening the future implementation of the SUF program.

In addition, the Deputy Director for Program of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Doni Yusri, expressed his support for the implementation of the activity. He explained that technology-based urban farming programs not only strengthen teachers’ capacity but also encourage the application of sustainable learning through hands-on practices such as hydroponics, aquaponics, as well as the implementation of zero-waste concepts within school environments.

The coordinator and moderator of the activity, Dewi Suryani, stated that the program was initiated in response to the need for strategies to strengthen food security through urban agriculture training integrated with a technology-based smart urban farming approach. The activity aimed to enhance participants’ understanding and skills in implementing smart urban farming while supporting sustainable food security.

A total of four sessions were delivered by experts and resource persons. In the main session, Prof. Dr. Drh. Bambang Purwantara, MSc, Professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, delivered a Keynote Speech on transforming food systems through innovation and education for sustainable food security.

Other sessions were delivered by Dr. rer. nat. Doni Yusri, S.P., M.M. (Deputy Director for Program, SEAMEO BIOTROP), Prof. Dr. Toni Toharudin, S.Si., M.Sc. (Head of the Agency for Primary and Secondary Education Policy, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education), and Dr. Rachmi Widiriani, S.P., M.Si. (Director of Food Distribution and Reserves, National Food Agency of the Republic of Indonesia).

Through this activity, SEAMEO BIOTROP expects to enhance participants’ knowledge and understanding of applying technology in urban agriculture, as well as to strengthen food security and self-sufficiency within educational communities.

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