Semarang, November 2025 — The Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Science (FPP) of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) has established a strategic collaboration with PT Nira Lestari International, a coconut-based agroindustry company that focuses on the production and export of sap-derived products such as coconut sugar, virgin coconut oil (VCO), and vegan nectar.
This collaboration is part of FPP UNDIP’s commitment to strengthen the partnership between the Business and Industrial World (DUDI) and the world of higher education, in order to accelerate knowledge transfer, technological innovation, and farmer empowerment towards inclusive and sustainable agriculture.n.
Academic and Industry Synergy: From Knowledge to Real Action
This collaboration began with a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) activity with the theme “Supply Chain Innovation and Farmer Empowerment in Local Commodity-Based Agroindustry”. In the activity, academics, governments, and farmer representatives discussed strategies to strengthen the supply chain of coconut-sap-based agro-industry through applied research approaches and digital innovation. Another series of activities is a practitioner lecture by inviting the CEO of PT Nira Lestari International, to provide a real overview of the management of Nira’s agroindustry supply chain to students. The Practitioner Lecture also invited the 2025 Millennial Farmer Ambassador of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rayndra Syahdan Mahmudin, S.ST., M.MA conveyed strategies to strengthen farmer institutions.
According to Dr. Tutik Dalmiyatun, S.Pt., M.Sc., The chief executive of the activity, this collaboration is not only a form of collaboration, but a concrete step to bring together the academic world and industrial practices in a sustainable manner.
“We want to present a higher education approach which is to accordance with the development of society and industry. Students not only learn theory, but are also directly involved in its research and application. Students increased transfer knowledge and experience in business management,” she said.
This collaboration has a significant impact on the achievement of academic output within FPP UNDIP. Through collaborative research, students and lecturers will gain direct access to field data, modern production systems, and export practices that are oriented to the global market.
The collaboration between FPP UNDIP and PT Nira Lestari Internasional is in line with the global agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in encouraging sustainable agriculture, local economic empowerment, and green industry innovation.
CEO of PT Nira Lestari International, Ella Rizki Farihatul Maftuhah, S.Si., M.Sc., positively welcomed this collaboration and considered the collaboration with universities to be a strategic step in strengthening the competitiveness of the national agroindustry.
General Lecturer from CEO PT Nira Lestari Internasional and Millennial Farmer Ambassador 2025
“The collaboration with FPP UNDIP brings together academic innovation with industrial reality. Together, we can create an ecosystem that fosters innovation, improves supply chain efficiency, and strengthens farmers’ position in sustainable production systems,” Ella explained.
The collaboration between FPP UNDIP and PT Nira Lestari Internasional is expected to be a model of DUDI synergy based on research and community empowerment. The program places the university not only as a center of science, but also as a driving actor of agricultural transformation.