Unhas Develops Alope Chicken as a Strategic Food Security Innovation

Rector of Unhas, Prof Dr Jamaluddin Jompa, stated in Makassar on Friday that the success of research must not end with scientific publications but must be realised in the form of innovations that can address community needs. ‘Research results must be able to be commercialised, applied, and provide real benefits,’ he said during a Focus Group Discussion on the integrated and sustainable development of the Alope Chicken. He noted that the Alope Chicken demonstrates how campus innovation can evolve into a solution to support food security while simultaneously improving the welfare of farmers. According to Prof Jompa, the development of the Alope Chicken will be strengthened through collaboration with local governments and various stakeholders to ensure the distribution of superior breeds can reach more regions. This approach is part of the research commercialisation strategy that Unhas has been consistently reinforcing. Within the innovation ecosystem, commercialisation is a crucial stage that connects research results with field implementation. Through this process, technology develops into products or systems that provide real benefits. Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science at Unhas, Prof Dr Syahdar Baba, explained that improving genetic quality, strengthening breed production, and expanding partnerships are the main focuses for the future development of the Alope Chicken. ‘So that the Alope Chicken can be widely utilised by the community, the next steps are to develop genetic quality, breed production, and collaboration with local governments,’ he clarified. In addition to providing superior breeds, Unhas is also preparing technical assistance for farmers so that the developed technology can be applied effectively. For Unhas, the Alope Chicken is an example of how research can produce innovations that address development challenges. Together with other innovations such as Jago Corn, the development of the Alope Chicken is part of Unhas’s commitment to strengthening food security through science, technology, collaboration, and commercialisation.