A total of 15 students from the Master of Agribusiness Management (MMA) Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Batch 48, participated in the Widyakarya program held on February 4-6, 2025, in Malaysia. This program was also accompanied by two faculty advisors, Dr. Ir. Lestari Rahayu W, M.P., and Ir. Any Suryantini, MM., Ph.D.
During the program, the students visited several leading agribusiness companies in Malaysia, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (palm oil company), Green World Genetics (seed company), Central Sugars Refinery Sdn Bhd (sugar company), and the Graduate School of Business at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. This visit aimed to provide in-depth insights into the agribusiness sector and understand the dynamics of the agricultural industry at an international level.
The Head of the MMA Program, Dr. Ir. Lestari Rahayu W, M.P., emphasized the importance of international exposure for MMA UGM students.
“Regarding internationalization, we strive to visit companies abroad whenever possible. Malaysia is relatively close, making it more accessible. Moreover, Malaysia shares similarities with Indonesia, and some companies operating there also have businesses in Indonesia,” Lestari stated when contacted by the media team of the Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics, UGM.
Lestari added that the Widyakarya Program is part of the MMA curriculum designed to bring students closer to the real agribusiness industry.
“The goal is to connect students with real-world agribusiness companies so they can understand existing challenges and find solutions. Later, students are also required to create a report and undergo an evaluation,” explained Lestari.
Through this program, students have the opportunity to learn directly from companies and professionals in the agribusiness field, expand their knowledge, and build networks with industries abroad. Activities like this are expected to enhance students’ competencies in facing global challenges in the agribusiness sector.
The Widyakarya Program also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing international learning experiences for students, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by introducing students to the dynamics of the global agribusiness sector, and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by highlighting best practices in modern agricultural industries.
Author: Muhammad Hanan Jamil P.J
Admin, Website of the Department of Agricultural Socio-Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, UGM