Students of the Faculty of Agricultural Industrial Technology (FTIP) Universitas Padjadjaran have once again achieved a national-level accomplishment. The student team from the Agricultural Engineering Study Program successfully won the Silver Medal in the Agricultural Category at the 5th IDEA FEST 2026, organized by the Sentosa Foundation in collaboration with the Bogor Science Club at IPB University from June 6–8, 2026. This award was earned through a scientific essay titled “Downstreaming and Technological Innovation as a Revitalization Strategy for Muntok White Pepper Based on Sustainable Agriculture.”
The team consists of James Theo Arvino (Agricultural Engineering 2023) as team leader, along with Dekaneisha Shadiya Putri Ariawibowo (Agricultural Engineering 2023), Afiah Salma Ramadhanti (Agricultural Engineering 2024), Levi Nazila Saqira (Agricultural Engineering 2024), and Salsabila Ramadhani (Pharmacy 2024, STIKES Abdurahman). In preparing the work, the team received guidance from Dr. Muhammad Achirul Nanda, a lecturer from the Agricultural Engineering Study Program, FTIP Unpad.
The proposed work highlights the potential of Muntok White Pepper as one of Indonesia’s leading spice commodities, well-known in the international market. Despite its high export value, the development of this commodity still faces various challenges, ranging from low product added value, price fluctuations at the farmer level, to the suboptimal application of technology in cultivation and post-harvest processes.
Through this essay, the team offers a revitalization strategy based on downstreaming and sustainable agricultural technology innovation. The proposed concept includes strengthening the commodity value chain, implementing modern technology in cultivation and post-harvest, and developing value-added derivative products to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian white pepper products in the global market. This approach is expected to improve farmers’ welfare while strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the national agricultural sector.
In addition to offering solutions to the challenges of national spice commodity development, this idea also reflects the contribution of the younger generation in supporting the sustainable development agenda. Through a downstreaming and technological innovation approach, the concept developed by the FTIP Unpad team contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) through strengthening productive and sustainable agricultural systems, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through increasing commodity added value and farmer welfare, and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) through the utilization of technology to strengthen the competitiveness of the national agro-industry sector. The development of derivative products and more efficient value chain management also supports SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through optimizing the utilization of agricultural resources and reducing potential post-harvest losses.
Team leader, James Theo Arvino, stated that this achievement is the result of hard work, collaboration, and dedication from all team members in developing an idea that can address the current challenges in the agricultural sector.
“We hope that the idea we developed can be an alternative strategy to increase the added value of Indonesian white pepper commodities while encouraging the realization of a more sustainable and competitive agricultural system,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Muhammad Achirul Nanda appreciated the achievement of the student team. According to him, scientific essay competitions are an important means for students to develop critical, analytical, and innovative thinking skills in solving various real problems in the agricultural sector.
“This achievement shows that students are capable of integrating knowledge, creativity, and concern for agricultural issues into an innovative and solution-oriented idea. I hope this achievement can motivate other students to continue to create and excel at both national and international levels,” he expressed.
The success in winning the Silver Medal demonstrates the ability of FTIP Unpad students to generate innovative ideas relevant to the needs of Indonesia’s agricultural development. The cross-generational and cross-disciplinary collaboration built within the team also became a significant strength in producing comprehensive, applicable, and sustainability-oriented solutions.
This achievement further strengthens FTIP Unpad’s commitment to fostering a young generation that is innovative, adaptive, and globally competitive. Through various academic competitions, students not only develop their scientific capacity but also generate ideas with the potential to make a real impact on society, industry, and sustainable agricultural development in Indonesia.
Source: FTIP Unpad Public Relations/Dani Wahdani
