AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, SOLUTIONS IN INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY AND FOOD CROP PRODUCTION

APPERTANI had the opportunity to start participation in 2023  in Webinar Episode 835 Propaktani on January 31, 2023 focusing on agricultural technology and innovation as a solution to increase productivity and food crop production. Prof.  Dr. Ir. Tjeppi D. Soedjana, M.Sc. Observer of Agricultural Development Policy APPERTANI was appointed as moderator of episode 835 of Propaktani this time.

The increase in food crop production is determined by the harvested area and productivity. The speakers in this episode focused on technology and innovation to increase productivity through plant breeding and efforts to reduce crop and post-harvest losses with post-harvest technology and the application of agricultural machinery as well as to improve production efficiency. Prof. Dr. Satoto, an expert in plant breeding of APPERTANI, has implemented strategies in increasing the potential yield of rice plants recommended by IRRI Experts in plant breeding including: (1) Conventional crossing and selection; (2) Ideal type breeding; (3) Hybrid rice breeding (heterosis); (4) Wide hybridization and (5) Genetic engineering through the introduction of genes from other species. Through these efforts, in the 2013-2020 period, 30 high-yielding varieties have been released, some of which have been widely adopted such as the Inpari 32, Inpari 33, Inpari 42, Cakrabuana, Inpari IR Nutrizinc varieties to reduce stunting. In the future to increase the adoption of high-yielding varieties, it is not enough just to have the advantages of high productivity and adaptation to the specific environment, but also to pay attention to consumer preferences.

Total yield loss of harvest and post-harvest according to Prof. Dr. Ir. S. Joni Munarso, MS, APPERTANI / BRIN post-harvest technology expert sequentially for rice 20.4%, corn 3.31% and soybeans 2.12-10.44%. Post-harvest technology innovations that can be introduced to reduce yield loss include combine harvester, solar tunnel dryer, prototype IoT-based low-aflatoxin corn warehousing model. G20 member countries agreed to accelerate efforts to reduce food loss and waste. A scenario has been prepared for the reduction of rice yield loss from 20.00% to 2.49%. Dr.  Abi Prabowo, retired Agricultural Mechanization Researcher at BBP Mektan-Serpong/APPERTANI, stated that agricultural machinery contribution is not only to productivity and yield loss, but also to reduce working hour and costs as in the case of the application of upstream-downstream agricultural machinery in the 2021 Collaborative Innovation Development Research (RPIK) project in Tambakromo Village, Cepu District, Blora Regency, Central Java.