Rome, Italy, October 24, 2025 – Dr. Andri Prima Nugroho from the Smart Agriculture Research Center, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), participated as a keynote speaker in the annual intellectual forum IGNITE 2025 (Indonesian Global Nexus for Intellectual Thought and Excellence).
This prestigious event, organized by the Indonesian Students Association (PPI) Italy and supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome, was held virtually on Friday, October 24, 2025.
IGNITE 2025 carried the critical theme “Sustainable Development in Agriculture”, directly supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 2: Zero Hunger and No. 13: Climate Action. The forum served as a platform for scholars and intellectuals from Italy and Indonesia to share strategic insights, experiences, and inspiration toward fostering tangible impacts in sustainable development.
In his session, Dr. Andri Prima Nugroho delivered a presentation titled “Enhancing Food Security and Sustainability in the Tropics through Smart and Digital Agriculture.” He emphasized that the global food system is under significant pressure, particularly in tropical regions facing complex challenges such as high climate vulnerability, limited resources, and fragmented production threatening food security—key issues within SDG 2.
Dr. Andri explained how smart and digital agriculture, through the integration of IoT sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, provides transformative solutions to optimize resource use, enhance productivity, and build climate resilience—contributing directly to SDG 13. He also showcased smart farming ecosystem practices developed at UGM, including AI-based irrigation systems, soil sensors, and drone-based plant health monitoring.
Alongside Dr. Andri, other distinguished speakers included Dr. Tiziana Amoriello (Senior Researcher, CREA–AN), Professor Piergiuseppe Morone (Unitelma Sapienza University), and Professor Pasquale Lucio Scandizzo (University of Rome “Tor Vergata”). The interactive discussion explored sustainable development, green policy, circular economy, and environmental resilience in digital food systems.
Dr. Andri’s participation in IGNITE 2025 reinforces UGM’s commitment to global food security and sustainable agricultural development, while also highlighting the university’s international recognition in agricultural innovation.
Through this international collaboration, the forum fosters strategic partnerships, contextual technology adaptation, holistic farmer empowerment, and continuous learning to advance resilient and sustainable tropical agriculture, effectively supporting SDG 2 and SDG 13.
