Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, August 7, 2025 – Professor Fahrul Huyop from the Department of Biosciences delivered an invited talk at the International Conference on Agriculture, Food, Environment, and Energy (InCAFEE 2025), held from 7–8 August 2025 at the Sintesa Peninsula Hotel, Manado. Hosted by the Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Ratulangi University (UNSRAT), the conference carried the theme “Strengthening Agricultural Higher Education through Innovation and International Collaboration for Sustainable Food, Environment, and Energy.”
Prof. Fahrul’s participation reflects UTM’s strategic commitment to strengthening Malaysia–Indonesia research collaboration, a core agenda under the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation). It also follows the university’s successful hosting of the International Nexus Conference 2025 (INexCo 2025) in Kuala Lumpur, which reinforced regional academic partnerships.
What made this visit particularly meaningful for Prof. Fahrul was not just the scientific engagement but also a long-standing personal connection to Manado. As a child growing up in the 1980s, like many others, he was captivated by P. Ramlee films and classic Malay cinema. One name that always stood out was Maria Menado, the celebrated actress who later became royalty by marrying the late Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang. Her name sparked a curiosity about Manado—a place he had never visited but had always imagined.
Fast forward to early this year, with the kind assistance of Prof. Nurul Huda Syam of Brawijaya University, Prof. Fahrul was introduced to Prof. Dedie Tooy, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at UNSRAT. This connection led to his official invitation to speak at InCAFEE 2025. His visit also included field sampling for soil science-related research, marking the start of a promising scientific collaboration between UTM and UNSRAT. This occasion may well represent the first academic visit by a Malaysian professor to Manado, North Sulawesi.
The conference began with a Grand Dinner on August 6, attended by distinguished guests including officials from the UNSRAT Rector’s Office, Rector Prof. Dr. Ir. Oktovian Berty, the Governor of South Sulawesi, Mr. Yulius Selvanus, Dean Dr. Dedie Tooy, and Dr. Sam Herodian, Special Staff to the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture.
The official opening took place on August 7, featuring keynote addresses by 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. Invited speakers included Dr. Jean-Marc Roda (CIRAD, France), Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit (Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines), Dr. Jelfina C. Alouw (International Coconut Community), Prof. Fahrul Huyop (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia), Ms. Tamara Jackson (University of Adelaide, Australia), Mr. Jeremy Badgery-Parker (University of Adelaide, Australia), and Prof. Dr. Nurul Huda (Brawijaya University), formerly of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
In his presentation, Prof. Fahrul shared case studies from Malaysia and Indonesia, showing how regional plant biodiversity contributes to unique molecular signatures in Southeast Asian honey. His research demonstrates the use of molecular techniques to authenticate local honey and protect it against mislabeling and fraud—an increasingly critical issue in global food safety and traceability.
Prof. Fahrul’s visit to UNSRAT represents more than just academic exchange—it marks a step forward in building lasting cross-border partnerships, advancing food research, and promoting sustainable innovation in agriculture.
Written by Professor Fahrul Huyop, Department of Biosciences
Figure 1.: Together with the Dean and colleagues from the Faculty — third from right: Dr. Dedi Tooy, Dean of the Faculty; fourth from right: Dr. Sam Herodian, Special Officer to the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture.
