Lincoln University’s part in a US$106m (NZD$156m) project to sustainably manage and help spread technology through Indonesian agriculture was formally recognised recently.

In the picture: Lincoln University Vice-Chancellor Professor Robin Pollard, left, with Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) Executive Secretary Dr M Prama Yufdy.

Vice Chancellor Professor Robin Pollard signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) Executive Secretary Dr M Prama Yufdy on May 6.

IAARD is part of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture and is implementing the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Research and Technology Dissemination (SMARTD) project funded by the World Bank.

Lincoln already has several IAARD staff studying at post graduate level after they completed the University’s English language programme, and there is a need for more staff to be upskilled. IAARD have been sending staff to North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for training.

The agreement establishes areas where Lincoln could further increase its involvement in the training as well as looking at other areas of collaboration. These include; Government scholarship programmes aimed at addressing institutional research needs in Indonesia, establishing pathways for Indonesian students to complete Masters and PhD Programmes in relevant agricultural fields, as well as the development of collaborative research projects in priority areas.

Lincoln’s Director of International and Student Engagement, Dee Coleman, says Lincoln’s strength in Agriculture has been favourable for the Indonesian Government and “we welcome these relationships where we can engage in international knowledge sharing between nations”.

“The perception in Indonesia of Lincoln as New Zealand’s specialist land based university is cemented, and it lifts our academic profile with other Government departments,” she says.

*Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development functions are performed by the Secretariat and 13 research centres for the purpose of managing research and development.

These functions correspond to the following fields of study; food crops, horticulture, estate crops, livestock, veterinary, soil and agro-climate, agro-socio economics, machinery development, post-harvest, biotechnology, agricultural technology assessment and agricultural technology dissemination.

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