The Master’s Program in Agribusiness, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, convened a General Lecture (Stadium General) themed “The Potential of Banten Province as a National Granary: Building a Productive, Resilient, and Sustainable Food System” on Friday (October 23, 2026) at the Theater Hall, 2nd Floor of FST UIN Jakarta.

The academic event featured the Head of the Banten Province Food Security Agency, Dr. Nasir, SP., MBA., MP., as the keynote speaker, moderated by the Head of the Master’s Program in Agribusiness at UIN Jakarta, Dr. drh. Zulmaneri, M.M.

Business Opportunities and Challenges for the Younger Generation

In his presentation, Dr. Nasir directly challenged Agribusiness students and the younger generation at UIN Jakarta to move beyond theoretical learning and actively build profitable modern agricultural enterprises (agripreneurship). He emphasized that Banten's vast agricultural potential requires innovation, technology, and an entrepreneurial spirit from educated youth.

He noted that agribusiness is no longer a traditional, labor-intensive, or unprofitable sector, but a high-value industry encompassing supply chain management, smart farming adoption, and tech-driven post-harvest processing.

Banten Targets 1.85 Million Tons of Rice Production to Secure Capital Supply

In addition to highlighting business opportunities for students, Dr. Nasir outlined the Banten Provincial Government's commitment to strengthening its role as a key buffer for national food security.

The Banten Provincial Government is actively boosting its national rice production target, projecting a paddy yield of 1.85 million tons. This strategic effort aims to maintain regional food reserve stability while securing the food supply for the Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabek) and supporting national food resilience.

Key initiatives to achieve this target include optimizing land use, improving irrigation infrastructure, deploying superior seed varieties, and modernizing agricultural machinery and equipment across Banten’s agricultural hubs.

Synergy Between Academia and Regional Government

The Head of the Master’s Program in Agribusiness at UIN Jakarta, Dr. drh. Zulmaneri, M.M., welcomed the insights and challenges presented by the Banten official. She affirmed that academic research and innovations developed by Master’s students at UIN Jakarta are ready to be aligned with real-world solutions for Banten's agricultural sector.

This General Lecture reinforces a strong collaborative synergy between UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and the Banten Provincial Government toward realizing a productive, resilient, and sustainable food system for Indonesia's future