[cess.unpad.ac.id, 28/07/22] Center for Environment and Sustainability Science (PULIK/CESS Unpad) in collaboration with the Regional Research and Development Planning Agency (BAPPPPEDA) of Sumedang Regency held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with several leaders of the existing bioproduction systems group in Sumedang Regency. This activity is one of the stages of the e-ASIA Joint Research Program research scheme, specifically Work Package 2 (WP-2), which is to develop multiple bioproduction system scenarios in Sumedang Regency for a sustainable future and resilience under climate change and ecosystems.
This FGD activity was opened by the Head of BAPPPPEDA Sumedang, namely Mrs. Hj. Tuti Ruswati, S. Sos., M.Si. In her remarks, she mentioned that currently large infrastructure developments have been carried out, including national strategic projects, such as the Jatigede dam and the Cisumdawu toll road. Therefore, development needs to be carried out with long-term planning and research to find out what are the impacts, both positive and negative impacts from various aspects including social, economic, and environmental aspects. One of them is the research from CESS Unpad which examines the Integration of Traditional and Modern Bioproduction Systems for a Sustainable and Resilient Future under Climate Change and Ecosystems (ITMoB) in Sumedang Regency.
Then continued with the presentation of material from PUI-PT CESS Unpad, namely Dr. Susanti Withaningsih, M.Si. She said that the world today is in uncertainty. This is reflected in the time of the pandemic, which occurred faster than the previous pandemic, which was only around 8 years, and including climate change and land use that affected the productivity of the bioproduction system, especially rice productivity which has tended to decline lately. Therefore, the team from PUI-PT CESS Unpad together with BAPPPPEDA Sumedang held a FGD activity to find out what technical problems were experienced by farmers and what recommendations should be made by academics and stakeholders.
After the presentation of the material, it was continued with the main agenda of Focus Group Discussion (FGD). This FGD activity was attended by 24 people from various groups of bioproduction systems from several sub-districts in Sumedang Regency, namely farmer groups for sweet potato, coffee, rice, vegetables, cattle, goats and sheep, fisheries, and forest farmer groups. The FGD began with filling out a questionnaire/questionnaire to compile an assessment of the Nature Futures Framework (NFF). The questionnaire aims to determine the perception of human relations with nature by assessing personal preferences and ideas about the future of society and with nature which will later be compiled into Nature for Nature (NN), Nature for Culture (NC), and Nature for Society (NS). Then, the FGD activities were continued by forming several discussion groups from several farmer groups and estimation of strengths, weaknesses and recommendations from each group of bioproduction systems with various existing commodities.
In general, the strengths possessed by several farmer groups in Sumedang Regency are already owning and managing their own land, having their own seeds, even from rice farmer groups that have succeeded in developing organic farming systems. However, the weaknesses that hinder farmer production include less extensive marketing, low prices, and the presence of pests and diseases in the Cilembu sweet potato farmer group. The recommendations proposed by the farmers from these various groups are expected to provide training on effective production systems, wider marketing, and follow-up from these FGD activities such as collaboration between farmers, government and universities in various production systems. which require solutions to existing problems.
