Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman Urges IPB Students to Learn from Failure

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has urged the younger generation, particularly students of the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), not to fear failure in pursuing their ambitions. He argued that the courage to face challenges and leave one’s comfort zone is the main key to building entrepreneurship and strengthening national food security. The message was delivered by Minister Amran during a public lecture entitled ‘Failing Towards Success: Building Entrepreneurship and Agribusiness in Strengthening National Food Security’ at the Andi Hakim Nasution Auditorium, IPB Dramaga Campus, Bogor, on Thursday (11/6/2026). This event is part of the Ministerial and Top Executive Lecture Series for the 25th Anniversary of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB University. In his presentation, Minister Amran asserted that great success cannot be achieved without the courage to take risks. He highlighted the phenomenon of young people who are often reluctant to leave their comfort zone but desire instant success. ‘Most of us do not want to leave our comfort zone, but want to be successful. That is not possible. If you want to achieve something great, you must dare to face bigger challenges,’ said Minister Amran in front of hundreds of students and academics. Furthermore, Minister Amran shared his personal experience of building a career and business from zero. He emphasised that youth is the best time to try various things, including experiencing failure, because that process will shape the character, resilience, and fighting spirit needed in the future. He also reminded that the agribusiness sector has great potential to be developed by young intellectuals. With mastery of technology and an unyielding mentality, students are expected to become the driving force for Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency amidst increasingly complex global challenges. Concluding his public lecture, Minister Amran advised IPB students not merely to pursue academic grades, but also to hone their entrepreneurial spirit. ‘Today we learn to fail, we learn to suffer. Do not be afraid to try new things because from there true success will be born,’ he concluded.