Mataram, University of Mataram – On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the Faculty of Food Technology and Agroindustry (Fatepa) of the University of Mataram (Unram) held a General Lecture entitled “Sustainable Agriculture And Food Loss And Waste Management”. The event was held hybridly in the Fatepa Unram Hall and online, attended by 170 participants, including lecturers and students, with 110 participants joining online and 60 participants attending directly in the Fatepa Unram meeting room.

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This public lecture presented Assistant Professor Dr. Pavalee Chompoorat Tridtitanakiat from Chiang Mai University, Thailand, who is an expert in post-harvest technology. Dr. Pavalee delivered a presentation with the theme “Postharvest Technology Innovation in Reducing Food Loss,” highlighting the importance of innovation to address global challenges, including the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets, which aim to reduce food loss and reduce half of food waste worldwide by 2030.

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The Head of the Committee, Sella Antesty, S.T., M.Eng., in her speech expressed her gratitude to Dr. Pavalee for her willingness to share her knowledge with Unram.

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“We are grateful to Mrs. Pavalee, and hope that this is the beginning of a long cooperation between the University of Mataram and Chiang Mai University, especially in the development of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education,” she said.

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The Dean of Fatepa, Dr. Ir. Satrijo Saloko, MP, also gave his appreciation in his speech, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with international experts. “This is a special moment. As lecturers who are also involved in research and community service, Fatepa lecturers and students must always be up-to-date with the latest issues in postharvest food processing, especially directly from international experts like this,” said Satrijo.

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Dr. Pavalee emphasized in his presentation that post-harvest technologies play an important role in extending the storage life of agricultural products, improving quality, and minimizing damage during distribution. The technologies presented included refrigeration, packaging, post-harvest processing, and the use of sensors and information systems to monitor storage and supply chain conditions.

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Dr. Pavalee also mentioned that in Thailand, the government supports farmers through incentives and technology provision to increase innovation in the agricultural sector.

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In addition to discussing issues related to SDGs 12.3, this public lecture also emphasized the important role of gender equality in achieving SDGs. The presence of female students and academics in this event reinforced global efforts to ensure that women have an equal access to participate and innovate in the agriculture and food technology sectors. Involving women in post-harvest technology development and sustainable food management is believed to increase productivity and support SDGs goals related to gender equality.

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The event ended with a question and answer session hosted by Dr. Qabul Dinanta Utama, S.T.P., M.Si., where students and lecturers actively asked questions about post-harvest technology. Dr. Pavalee answered clearly, providing in-depth insight into the implementation of technology in the food sector.

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This public lecture is expected to open opportunities for further cooperation between Unram and Chiang Mai University in the field of food technology, strengthen the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, and encourage the achievement of SDGs targets, including reducing food loss and gender equality in agricultural innovation.