Agriculture Ministry and Unesa Collaborate on Superior Soybean Seed Development

The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) and Surabaya State University (Unesa) are collaborating to develop superior soybean seeds through the use of 56 hectares of land to support the acceleration of national soybean self-sufficiency.

“The collaboration includes research development, production facility support, and student involvement in experience-based learning and contribution to the agricultural sector,” said Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman in a statement received in Surabaya on Thursday.

Minister Amran said this cooperation is a concrete step to follow up on the president’s directive regarding the acceleration of national soybean self-sufficiency.

This research collaboration will specifically involve Unesa’s Faculty of Food Security (FKP) to manage the 56-hectare plot of land.

Once absorbed by the government, the superior seeds produced by Unesa will be designated for communities in East Java to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on soybean imports.

In the broader self-sufficiency scheme, the Ministry of Agriculture is also involving other universities, such as IPB University, which focuses on rice seedling development, and ITS (Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology) on corn seeds.

Amran emphasised that Indonesia must take pride in the products of its universities. He believes the triple helix concept—government as regulator, industry as entrepreneur, and academics creating new innovations—can strengthen Indonesia’s self-sufficiency and food security.