Yogyakarta, August 7, 2025 — The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (DTPB), Faculty of Agricultural Technology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), hosted a discussion visit from Dr. Sukarman, S.ST., M.M., M.Si., a palm oil plantation practitioner and postdoctoral researcher under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ir. Lilik Sutiarso, M.Eng., IPU., ASEAN Eng., APEC Eng. The discussion, held at the Smart Agriculture Creative Space, focused on two main topics: the development of a rapid detection system for fertilizer content — the core of Dr. Sukarman’s postdoctoral research — and the evaluation of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) industrial internship program at Wilmar International Plantation.
During the session, Dr. Sukarman explained that the rapid fertilizer content detection system — powered by sensors and artificial intelligence — is being developed to address practical challenges in the field, particularly in improving fertilizer use efficiency in plantations. “Wilmar, as an industry partner, has provided valuable input regarding field needs, especially how this technology can support agronomic activities with greater precision and real-time monitoring,” he stated.
Dalam penyampaiannya, Dr. Sukarman menjelaskan bahwa sistem deteksi cepat kandungan pupuk berbasis sensor dan teknologi kecerdasan buatan yang tengah dikembangkan bertujuan untuk menjawab tantangan di lapangan, khususnya dalam meningkatkan efisiensi penggunaan pupuk di sektor perkebunan. “Wilmar sebagai mitra industri telah memberikan banyak masukan mengenai kebutuhan lapangan, terutama bagaimana teknologi ini dapat membantu kegiatan agronomi secara lebih presisi dan real-time,” ujar Dr. Sukarman.
Ir. Andri Prima Nugroho, Ph.D., also emphasized the critical role of mechanization in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of oil palm plantations. “The key issues in the plantation sector today revolve around labor shortages and operational efficiency. Mechanization is inevitable — from fertilization to harvesting. We see significant opportunities to develop integrated systems that are highly relevant for plantations such as those managed by Wilmar,” he noted.
The session also served as a reflection and evaluation platform for the MBKM industrial internship program, which involved DTPB UGM students from February to July 2025 at Wilmar International Plantation. The evaluation aimed to assess both the learning outcomes and the students’ real contributions to plantation operations.
This initiative highlights DTPB UGM’s ongoing commitment to advancing modern agricultural technologies and strengthening strategic collaboration between academia and industry. Through such engagements, the department continues to support national efforts toward food security and sustainable agribusiness development.
Contributor: Ardan
