After going through a very long selection process, IPB University was officially selected as the recipient of the KOICA Grant Aid 2026 from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN/National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS). This prestigious grant is given in order to support national food security by increasing rice production and productivity. This grant was submitted through BAPPENAS and IPB University was appointed as the Project Implementing Unit (PIU) responsible for implementing the activity. The proposal submitted carries the title: “Harnessing Rice Production and Productivity: Extending from Agricultural Activities to Rural Development and Sustainability”. It is hoped that the implementation of this activity can encourage food self-sufficiency in Indonesia. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) External Expert Reviewers for Review Procces of KOICA Grant Aid 2026 – IPB University
As part of the proposal evaluation and validation process, the External Expert team from the KOICA Grant Aid Demand Survey 2026 made a direct visit to IPB University on January 13-17 2025. This visit aims to conduct an in-depth review and discussion regarding IPB’s work program plan in managing KOICA grants. The first day’s activities began with an introduction to IPB University and a presentation of the Research Roadmap by the IPB Chancellor. This event was also enlivened by a souvenir giving session and a short presentation from the Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Agromaritime Community Development, representatives of KOICA Indonesia, and BAPPENAS.
The agenda continued with a field visit to the Sawah Baru Rice Center which was directly accompanied by the IPB team, as well as an in-depth discussion discussing the proposal at BRI WORK IPB by the IPB University Team with the KOICA Team and attended by representatives of BAPPENAS. Strategic Presentation and Field Visit The second day was filled with presentations from BAPPENAS, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the KOICA IPB Proposal Preparation Team which were presented in detail by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Azis Boing Sitanggang, Secretary of the International Research Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health IPB University. The team also visited the Rice Center in Pamijahan, Bogor, to see the potential of the field firsthand. Day Third, the activity was centered in the Thoyib Hadiwijaya Auditorium, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, with the agenda of further presentations from the proposal drafting team, followed by the Exhibition of Rice Research and visits to various strategic laboratories such as the Molecular Lab, Biotechnology and Molecular Lab, Integrated Lab of Plant Protection, Soil Chemistry Lab, and AWS Data Center which were directly assisted by the Expert Team from IPB University.
On the fourth day, the discussion of the proposal continued in more depth, led again by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Azis Boing Sitanggang. In addition, the KOICA team was also divided to visit the Rice Center in Pamijahan Bogor and Ciasem, Subang, as the main development locations that are part of the proposal. International Synergy for Sustainable Food The five-day visit was closed with an interactive discussion session that resulted in a number of agreements and important notes as steps towards finalizing the grant. Overall, the activity went smoothly, productively, and full of collaborative spirit. Through this grant, it is hoped that IPB University will be able to accelerate the transformation of the agricultural sector, especially rice, towards a system that is sustainable, efficient, and has a broad impact on the welfare of rural communities.