Encouraging Synergy Between Academics, Government, and Industry in Coffee Derivative Product Development, PPNP Holds FGD

Limapuluh Kota, Beritasumbar.com - Coffee is currently one of the agricultural commodities that holds promising potential for economic improvement, especially along with the mushrooming growth of coffee shops. Certainly, good quality coffee is highly necessary.

To achieve good harvests and processing of coffee, mature scientific knowledge is undoubtedly required.

Responding to this, the Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic (PPNP) held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the theme "Synergy of Coffee Derivative Product Innovation" as part of the State Vocational Higher Education Revitalization Program, at the PPNP Tanjung Pati campus on Tuesday (18/11/2025).

The activity, which took place in the PPNP campus auditorium, involved academics, local government, coffee associations, and industry players to encourage downstreaming and increase the competitiveness of regional coffee.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

The Chair of the PPNP State Vocational Higher Education Revitalization Program Team, Dr. Neni Trimedona, stated that her team has established collaborations with various stakeholders, ranging from coffee industry players, the Minang Coffee Association, farmer groups, to the Indonesian Coffee Council.

She mentioned that the coffee potential in Limapuluh Kota is spread across several areas, such as for robusta in Situjuah Limo Nagari District, Harau District, and several other areas that have great potential to be developed.

"Through this FGD, we want to align our steps so that innovations produced on campus can be implemented concretely by the industry and bring direct benefits to farmers," said Dr. Neni Trimedona in her speech.

Local Government Support

Meanwhile, the Head of the Regional Planning, Research and Development Agency (Bapelitbang) of Limapuluh Kota Regency, Witra Porsepwandi, who attended representing the Regent, welcomed PPNP's initiative. He affirmed that the local government is ready to synergize in mapping potential and facilitating regulations for the development of regional coffee commodities.

"This synergy is very important. We need the role of academics to supply technological innovation and research, while the local government prepares regulations and guidance space, and the industry absorbs the products. This triangular cooperation must be strengthened to provide real economic impact for the wider community and all related parties," he said.

Witra revealed that the campus has conducted research related to product verification and marketing systems. He also conveyed data that coffee production in Limapuluh Kota reaches 1,500 tons per year.

"Whatever form coffee derivative products take, we must agree upon them and register them with Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI). Quality must also be directly proportional to the quantity of production," he emphasized.

According to Witra, the local government is obliged to support production development and downstreaming of coffee products as well as other commodities such as gambier as leading commodities. He hopes this FGD will be the first step to strengthen the coffee ecosystem from upstream to downstream.

Hopes for Sustainability

The Secretary of the PPNP State Vocational Higher Education Revitalization Program Team, Budi Febriandi, told reporters that the FGD activity serves as a momentum for PPNP and the local government to strengthen innovation, increase the added value of coffee products, and encourage the sustainability of the local coffee industry to be able to compete at national and global levels.

Through this FGD, his team hopes to generate concrete ideas, appropriate technology, and innovative business models that can strengthen the position of Limapuluh Kota coffee in national and global markets.

"Our hope is that this activity becomes a strategic step in advancing the coffee ecosystem from upstream to downstream, while also strengthening the role of vocational higher education as a driving force for regional innovation," revealed Budi. (*)