Unhas Develops Alope Chicken as a Strategic Food Security Innovation

Makassar (ANTARA) - Hasanuddin University (Unhas) is pushing the development of the Alope chicken, a superior strain of village chicken bred through genetic selection, which is projected to become part of the national strategic programme in the field of food security.

Unhas Rector Prof Dr Jamaluddin Jompa, in Makassar on Friday, stressed that research success must not stop at academic publication, but must be realised in the form of innovations capable of answering society’s needs.

“Research results must be able to be downstreamed, applied, and provide real benefits,” said Prof JJ during the focus group discussion on the Integrated and Sustainable Development of the Unhas-1 Alope Chicken.

“The Alope chicken demonstrates that campus innovation can grow into a solution that supports food security while improving the welfare of farmers,” he continued.

According to Prof JJ, the development of the Alope chicken will be strengthened through collaboration with regional governments and various stakeholders so that the distribution of superior breeding stock can reach more areas.

This approach forms part of the research downstreaming strategy that Unhas has continued to reinforce.

Within the innovation ecosystem, downstreaming is an important stage connecting research results with implementation in the field. Through this process, technology develops into products or systems that deliver tangible benefits.

The Dean of Unhas’s Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Prof Dr Syahdar Baba, explained that improving genetic quality, strengthening breeding stock production, and expanding partnerships are the main focus of the Alope chicken’s future development.

“So that the Alope chicken can be utilised widely by the public, the next step is to develop its genetic quality, breeding stock production, and collaboration with regional governments,” Prof Syahdar explained.

In addition to supplying superior breeding stock, Unhas is also preparing technical assistance for farmers so that the technology developed can be applied effectively.

For Unhas, the Alope chicken is an example of how research can produce innovations that answer development challenges.

Together with other innovations such as Jagung Jago, the development of the Alope chicken forms part of Unhas’s commitment to strengthening food security through science, technology, collaboration, and downstreaming.