SEAMEO BIOTROP continuously improves from year to year to deliver excellent services in implementing the Centre’s main mandates, namely: Research, Training and Other Learning Activities, and Information Dissemination according to the FYDP 10th. The Centre stipulated the mandates into programs and activities to serve the targeted beneficiaries across the Southeast Asia region with refer to the Centre’s vision “to be a leading Centre in promoting and enriching the real values of tropical biology in the Southeast Asia”.

Some adaptations to the Centre’s programs and outputs were made due to Covid-19 pandemic in accordance with the government’s regulations, national situation as well as national budget revision. Nevertheless, the Centre endeavored to implement programs to achieve its targets as planned.

SEAMEO BIOTROP Annual Report 2020/2021 presents the Centre’s achievements in three Key Result Areas, namely: Regional Leadership, Regional Visibility, and Solid Resource Base.

REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

During the fiscal year under review, the Centre conducted 22 National Research Projects from In-House Researchers and Partner Agencies that were completed in December 2020, and 30 national research projects which will be completed by the end of 2021. The specific theme of the research of 2021 were: “Restoration and Conservation Ecosystem; Sustainable Use of Tropical Biodiversity; Food Sovereignty; Ecosystem Resilience in Response to Climate change; Bio-energy; and Biotechnology Development”. The research team shared the knowledge and findings through seminars, workshops, and FGDs virtually to participants from Indonesia and the region.

For the fiscal year 2020/2021, the Centre also funded 4 (four) National School Garden Action Research, and 1 (one) research proposals submitted by PhD students on Systematic Evidence Evaluation on Industry 4.0 Digital Technologies in Indonesian Food and Agricutural Sector and Its Implication on Pre- and Postcovid-19 Pandemic.

The Centre conducted 2 International Training Courses, 10 National Training Courses, 2 Conferences, 1 Webinar and 1 Workshop on the International Level; 28 Webinars, 2 Talk Shows, 3 Workshops, and 1 Focus Group Discussions on the National Level. A total of 8,016 individuals from government institutions, schools, universities, research centers and private sectors, benefited from these activities.

REGIONAL VISIBILITY

During the Fiscal Year 2020/2021, there were 83 signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). Most of the MoUs are the cooperation with national entities, namely: 56 MoUs with Schools, 9 MoUs with Research Centres or Universities, 11 MoUs with Companies, and 7 MoUs with Foundations.

The examples of signed MoUs including: with Pennsylvania State University on developing collaborations in education, research and Community Development, with PT Garudafood on integrated pest management assessment, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Tokyo, Japan on teaching and training for SILN in tropical biology, and Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara/TNC about the Indo YTNC Water Fund Model Development Project.

For the period of July 2020 to June 2021, the Centre published 3 issues of BIOTROPIA Journal, 3 monographs and/or technical guidances on the Centre’s research activities and expertise, and 1 proceedings on tropical biology and related fields. The Centre also disseminated information on the Centre’s activities and products through quarterly BIOTROP Courier newsletter, brochures, official website, mass media, and social media. In supporting trainings courses and other learning activities, the Centre has produced 3 educational videos, 15 infographics, and 3 BIOSync podcast series. BIOTROPIA Journal is a SCOPUS indexed with Q4 level in accordance with the Scimago Journal Ranking (SJR).

To facilitate the rapidly growing needs on digital media content, the Centre have produced 3 (three) educational videos on 1). Steps on Hydroponics Cultivation, 2). Getting to Know Stingless Bee, and 3). Freshwater Lobster. In this fiscal year, the Centre launched a new program called “Bio Sync”, a Podcast focused on the aspects of tropical biology.

After its operation at May 2020, the publication request system have accommodated 480 request for SEAMEO BIOTROP’s publication. The publication request is submitted and processed through a web application available at https://biotrop.org/publication.

The Centre uses three platforms of social medial, i.e., Facebook, Instagram and Youtube Channel. As of June 2021 the Centre obtained a total of 3.6k Facebook page likes, 8.4k Instagram followers, and 5k Youtube channel subscribers.
During FY 2020/2021, the Centre facilitated 10 undergraduate students to conduct their research at the Centre’s laboratories. The Centre also facilitated the internship and on-the-job training for 84 students.

For the period of July 2020 to June 2021, SEAMEO BIOTROP accommodated 16 visits consisted of 160 visitors. This number drops dramatically compared to the previous fiscal year period due to the restrictions and regulations by the Government of Indonesia. To accommodate the needs of virtual visits, the Centre have produced virtual tour video, as well as virtual exhibition application to accommodate visit program to SEAMEO BIOTROP.

School Fruit Garden for Education, Production, Genetic Conservation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture Vocational Senior High Schools in Indonesia (SMARTS-BE) which was initiated since 2018, is still continued by completing 5 research and 7 ongoing research projects, conducted an FGD and Training Course on Geodatabase Management Application System for Monitoring and Diagnostics of HPT Plants SMARTS-BE Program, Training of Trainer: Tabulampot Development to Support Eco Agro Edu tourism.

SOLID RESOURCE BASE

SEAMEO BIOTROP have implemented new organizational structure since January 2021. The current organizational structure of SEAMEO BIOTROP is a structure that has been approved by the 58th GBM in 2020. This structure is considered to meet the needs of the current organization, taking into account the organizational mandate as well as existing internal and external issues.

SEAMEO BIOTROP has a new Director and DDA starting in 2021. Dr Zulhamsyah Imran from Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) was appointed to serve as the Centre’s Director and Dr Perdinan as the Deputy Director for Administration, effective 1 January 2021, respectively.

At the end of 2020, SEAMEO BIOTROP has developed 1 administrative and management information system application (ISAIMaT). ISAIMat is one of YFDP 10th targets: SEAMEO BIOTROP Integrated Administrative Information Management System. With the implementation of ISAIMaT at SEAMEO BIOTROP, the administrative and communication processes can be done more easily. Especially during this pandemic, where most of the SEAMEO BIOTROP staff have to work from home.

In the 2nd year of Covid-19 Pandemic, many activities have been carried out online providing good opportunities for staff to participate in these activities and increase their knowledge. There were 1,170 recorded activities that were attended by staff, including participants, resource persons, assessors, judges in an activity, presenters, instructors, moderators, and more than 100 staff became resource persons, facilitators, moderators, instructors, assessors, etc. in various seminars, conferences, workshops at national and regional levels.

For the fiscal year under review, the Centre received fund from the Government of Indonesia (GoI) as Operating Fund to cover staff salary and wages, operational expenses, and building and equipment maintenance. The Centre also received the annual Special Education and Development Fund (SEDF) from SEAMEO Secretariat which is intended for conducting regional and international trainings and seminars, research, Governing Board Meeting (GBM), and personnel exchange.