Among SMARTS-BE Program is developing SMK (Vocational High School) as the Model for Agro Eco Edutourism.  The Agro Eco Edutourism is a segment of tourism offering agricultural products, promoting environmental conservation and educational materials to elevate the community’s skills and welfare.

In determining the potential of each SMK to become the Model for Agro Eco Edutourism, a series of webinars have been carried out since 2018 to assess the potential of each SMK in becoming a model for Agro Eco Edutourism. Several technical guidance activities were held in several SMKs, such as UPT SMKN 2 Muara Enim, SMKN 1 Kelapa, SMKN 63 Jakarta, SMK PPN Saree, dan SMKN 1 Petang (Bali). The technical guidance activities were also participated by other surrounding SMKs.   

As the follow-up activity of the technical guidance activities, SMARTS-BE Program held a Workshop on the Development of SMK as the Model for Agro Eco Edutourism on 1-3 November 2021. The workshop aimed to seek inputs for developing the Model of SMK to become Agro Eco Edutourism, based on potential in the respective SMKs and the determined criteria, indicators, parameters, and verifiers. The workshop also aimed to develop a guideline for developing SMK as the Model for Agro Eco Eductourism.

In his remarks, the Director of PSMK of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendikbudristek), Dr Drs Wardani Sugiyanto, MPd stated that the SMK partners of the SMARTS-BE Program of SEAMEO BIOTROP are ready and able to realize the concept of Agro Eco Edutourism, especially with the mentoring program from SEAMEO BIOTROP.  The Acting Head of the Bureau of Cooperation and Public Relation of Kemendikbudristek, Mr Anang Ristanto, SE, MA shared his gratitude to SEAMEO BIOTROP for having committed in continuously mentoring the SMKs in this program. He also shared his expectation that SEAMEO BIOTROP would provide mentoring program toward other levels of education. The Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Dr Zulhamsyah Imran, stated that SEAMEO BIOTROP would oversee the Agro Eco Edutourism Program of SMARTS-BE for Agriculture SMK.

Topics and resource persons presented in this workshop were: 1. The management development of agro eco edutourism (Dr Ricky Avenzora); 2. Integrated sustainable development in developing agro eco edutourism in SMK (Dr Zulhamsyah Imran); 3. The landscape of agro eco edutourism (Mr. Surapati SP); 4. Searching for students’ interests and talents (Dr Supriyanto); 5. The Concept of developing the model of SMK to become agro eco edutourism at the 10 SMKs, i.e., SMKN 1 Tulungagung, SMKN 2 Slawi, SMKN 1 Petang, SMK PPN Saree, SMKN 2 Metro, SMKN 1 Kelapa, SMKN 1 Cibadak, SMKN 1 Pacet, SMKN 2 Subang, SMKN 63 Jakarta; and 6. The making of proposals for developing the model of SMK to become agro eco edutourism and the offered featured products.

The 170 participants were teachers and facilitators from 33 SMK partners of the SMARTS-BE Program. The outputs of the workshop were: 1. The Agro Eco Edutourism will be called the Agro Eco Edutourism Nusantara. The name is chosen due to the fact that each SMK has its uniqueness in agriculture potential, social, culture and economics; 2. The criteria, indicators, parameters and verifiers can be applied to all SMKs that are willing to implement the Agro Eco Edutourism Nusantara Program; and 3. SEAMEO BIOTROP will develop a policy brief in regards to Agro Eco Edutourism Nusantara Program to be presented to the interested stakeholders. (sis/mf).