It gives me great joy,to share with you about the notable accomplishments that our Centre had this last quarter of 2020. This is my last message on BIOTROP Courier, since my term as SEAMEO BIOTROP Director is ending on 31 December 2020. The year of 2020 is a very challenging year with the occurrence of Covid- 1 9 pandemic in Indonesia and all over the world. Nonetheless, we keep our spirit high to accomplish our targets and goals. Some targets couldbe achieved successfully, but others might need to be modified, postponed, and even cancelled.

We successfully conducted our first virtual 58th SEAMEO BIOTROP Governing Board Meeting participated by most of Governing Board (GB) Members, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, scientists, department managers and staff of SEAMEO BIOTROP. The 58th GBM is the stepping stone into a new era within the pandemic, and therefore, many programs of the Centre have to be changed in accordance with the strict health protocols. During the 58th GBM, the new Director and Deputy Director for Administration of SEAMEO BIOTROP were appointed for the period of 2021-2023.

SEAMEO BIOTROP has conducted online and blended activities in 2020. Our SMARTS-BE program held 17 SMARTS-BE Talk Series during our last quarter of the year 2020. The Talk Series were actively participated by teachers of agricultural vocational schools from across Indonesia. The Centre’s Special Program, IndoBIC, also held the 2nd Webinar Series on Biotechnology, participated by practitioners, researchers and reporters in the field of genetically modified food. The Centre held a virtual training course on Aflatoxin Control, joined by participants from regulatory and food safety certification body, research and development staff from government institutions and private agencies, research institutions and universities, food and feed industry managers as well as associated groups from Indonesia. A two-day blended in-house training course on Risk Management based on SNI ISO 3 1000 was participated by department managers from SEAMEO BIOTROP and other centres of SEAMEO Indonesia. Thirty-four agricultural vocational schools in Bogor, in collaboration with the Centre, conducted a start-up activity to develop Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism by planting potted-fruit-trees. A two-day training of proper fumigation technique and integrated storage pest management was conducted in the refined sugar storage facilities of PT Makassar Tene. To elevate the competence of SEAMEO BIOTROP staff in the photography area, four staff of the Centre participated in the Photography Workshop in Semarang held by SEAMEO Qitep in Mathematics.

With regard to our Services Laboratory, I proudly announce that the SEAMEO BIOTROP Services Laboratory enters the 5th cycle of ISO 1 7025 accreditation.It is proven time and again that our Services Laboratory is a very qualified laboratory. For its outstanding achievement, during the 58th SEAMEO BIOTROP GB meeting, the Board Members unanimously agreed to promote the status of Services Laboratory under Product Development and Services Department to become an independent department, and become Department of Service Laboratory.

We sealed off the year by marking a collaboration between our Centre and Polytechnic of Indonesia Venezuela (POLIVEN), which is located in the Subdistrict of Ingin Jaya.Aceh Besar District,Aceh Province. An MoU was inked through a virtual meeting on 8 December 2020. The three-year collaboration agreement focused on education development, research, and community service.

To end this message, please allow me to thank you all for your continued readership of BIOTROP Courier for the past six years under my term as SEAMEO BIOTROP Director. I hope that you have been well updated with our Centre’s programs and activities through the articles we published in the Courier. I hope that you will sustain your support and interest on BIOTROP programs and activities.