MANADO, Aug 7 – The city of Manado, Indonesia, hosted some of the region’s leading experts in agriculture, food, environment, and energy last week at the International Conference on Agriculture, Food, Environment, and Energy (InCAFEE 2025). This gathering brought together specialists from around the globe, including Professor Dr. Fahrul Zaman Huyop from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, who was an invited speaker.
The conference took place from August 6 to 8 at the Sintesa Peninsula Hotel and was organized by the Faculty of Agriculture at Sam Ratulangi University (UNSRAT). The theme of the event was “Strengthening Agricultural Higher Education through Innovation and International Collaboration for Sustainable Food, Environment, and Energy.” Prof. Fahrul’s participation underscored UTM’s strategic initiative to enhance Malaysia–Indonesia research collaboration, an agenda promoted by the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. His involvement also followed UTM’s successful hosting of the International Nexus Conference 2025 (INexCo 2025) in Kuala Lumpur, which helped strengthen regional academic networks.
For Prof. Fahrul, the trip to Manado held personal significance. Growing up in the 1980s, he, like many Malaysians, was captivated by the golden age of Malay cinema. One actress in particular—Maria Menado—fascinated him. The celebrated actress, who later became royalty through her marriage to the late Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang, instilled in him a curiosity about the city that bore her name. “Manado was a place I had never visited, but always imagined in my mind,” he reflected.
Earlier this year, a long-held curiosity became a reality, thanks to Prof. Nurul Huda Syam from Brawijaya University. Through him, Prof. Fahrul connected with the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at UNSRAT, Prof. Dedie Tooy, which led to an invitation for Prof. Fahrul to speak at InCAFEE 2025. During his visit, he not only participated in the conference but also conducted field sampling for soil science research. This effort lays the foundation for what could be the first formal academic collaboration between UTM and UNSRAT, and potentially marks the first visit by a Malaysian professor to Manado, North Sulawesi.
The conference festivities began on August 6 with a Grand Dinner attended by dignitaries, including officials from the UNSRAT Rector’s Office, Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Oktovian Berty, the Governor of South Sulawesi, Yulius Selvanus, Dean Prof. Dedie Tooy, and Dr. Sam Herodian, Special Staff to the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture.
The following morning, the conference officially opened with keynote addresses from Dr. H. Andi Sulaiman, MP, Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia, and Lt. Gen. (Purn) Anton Nugroho, M.A., D.S., M.A., Rector of the Indonesia Defense University.
Among the invited speakers were Dr. Jean-Marc Roda from the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) in France; Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines; and Dr. Jelfina C. Alouw from the International Coconut Community. Representing Malaysia was Prof. Dr. Fahrul Zaman Huyop from UTM, while Tamara Jackson and Jeremy Badgery-Parker represented the University of Adelaide from Australia. Also present was Prof. Dr. Nurul Huda from Brawijaya University in Indonesia, who is a former academic at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
In his presentation, Prof. Fahrul showcased case studies from Malaysia and Indonesia that reveal how the region’s rich plant biodiversity creates unique molecular signatures in Southeast Asian honey. His work emphasizes the importance of molecular techniques in authenticating honey to prevent mislabeling and fraud—an increasingly urgent issue in global food safety and traceability. Now serving as a Visiting Professor at UNSRAT, Prof. Fahrul’s visit represents not just an academic exchange; it marks a significant step towards building lasting cross-border partnerships, advancing food research, and promoting sustainable innovation in agriculture.
