EduAsiaNews, Jerman – A lecturer of the Nutrition Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ), Dian Luthfiana Sufyan, shared her experiences after participating in the SDG Alumni Project 2026 in Germany. Through this capacity-building program for alumni of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) scholarship, Dian gained insights into various organic food value chain development practices considered relevant for implementation in Indonesia.
The activity, themed “Sustainable Organic Value Chains,” was held from 7–19 January 2026. The program brought together DAAD alumni from countries in the Global South, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, South America, and Africa, representing diverse academic backgrounds and professional fields.
“I participated as one of the representatives from Indonesia on behalf of UPNVJ after going through a selection process conducted by the host university in Germany, Universität Kassel,” Dian stated during an interview with the public relations team in Jakarta. Currently, Dian is pursuing her doctoral (PhD) studies at the Human Nutrition Department, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. Her research focuses on energy intake regulation, toddler snacking behavior, and its association with stunting.
During the first week in Witzenhausen, activities focused on seminars, workshops, and field visits. Discussions emphasized reviews of sustainable food systems, organic food marketing, and value chains. Furthermore, participants visited Upländer Bauern Molkerei, a cooperative established in 1898 that specializes in the production and processing of high-quality regional organic milk and dairy products. The next visit was to Naturkost Elkershausen, an organic food wholesale company supplying various commodities such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and beverages.
In the second week, participants traveled to Berlin to take part in the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) and the International Green Week (Grüne Woche) exhibition. In 2026, GFFA, as a leading international conference, adopted “Water” as its central theme in discussions on critical food and agricultural policy issues. Among the attendees was Retno Marsudi, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Water, who called for an integrated approach to water and agriculture. During the same week, Dian also attended the International Green Week, an international trade fair for the food, agriculture, and horticulture industries.
Dian emphasized that the experience demonstrated the necessity of building future global food systems sustainably. In Germany, organic products have become part of everyday lifestyles. “The ‘bio’ label is no longer merely an option; it has become a necessity,” she remarked.
She further explained that the main challenges in developing organic food systems in Indonesia include relatively high product prices, low consumer awareness, and the high costs of production and certification. Nevertheless, participants from Southeast Asia agreed on three key measures that need to be strengthened: providing incentives for organic farmers, enhancing consumer education, and reinforcing value chains, infrastructure, and certification systems.
For UPNVJ, which upholds the identity of a State Defense Campus (Kampus Bela Negara), participation in this international program is considered to strengthen the university’s contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expanding global networks, and integrating sustainability issues into the tridharma of higher education. Dian expressed her hope that this experience would inspire the academic community and stakeholders in Indonesia to collaboratively build a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable food system.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
