Indonesian group's study visit

Posted 19 May 2011

A delegation from Indonesia visited Harper Adams today to learn about sustainable agriculture.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office-sponsored delegation of 14 land use planners and economists from Papua, Indonesia, was welcomed by Academic Registrar Dr Noel Morrison. 

They then heard talks given by Professor Simon Blackmore on the “Principles of Precision Farming: An International Perspective” and by Dr Keith Chaney on “Principles and practice of integrated farm management for sustainable agriculture and land use”. 

To conclude their visit University College Director Paul Rigg provided a tour of the new Anaerobic Digestion plant as an example of the integrated management of agricultural wastes and “end of food chain” wastes - for energy recovery.

The delegation’s tour of the UK included visits to the Eden Project, Schumacher College, Transition Totnes, Exeter University, Organic Research Centre (Elm Farm) and Loughborough Renewable Energy & Innovation Centre.  

Charles Leventon, from the National Rural Knowledge Exchange at Harper Adams, who coordinated the visit, said: “Feedback provided by Anne Miller of the Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network, which was responsible for arranging venues for the delegation, has been very positive, noting that the visit to Harper Adams has provided the delegation with a view of sustainable agriculture at a larger scale to complement their experiences from the other venues.”