Yogyakarta, August 18, 2026 – The Faculty of Pharmacy at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) continues to strengthen its strategic efforts to forge academic and research collaborations on the international stage. As a follow-up to the guest lecture held on Saturday (14/8) in the 8th-floor auditorium of the APSLC Building, Faculty of Pharmacy collaborated with a delegation from Chinese Medical University (CMU) and the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM) in Taiwan to conduct a field visit on Sunday (15/8).
This field visit focused on local medicinal plant farms located in Samigaluh Subdistrict, Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. The delegation from Taiwan, which included Prof. Yuan Shiun Chang from the Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences at China Medical University in Taiwan and Prof. Yi-Chang Su, Director of the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM) in Taiwan, was invited to get a closer look at Indonesia’s rich biodiversity.
This activity was directly supervised by the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Partnership, and Alumni at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Dr.rer.nat. apt. Nanang Fakhrudin, M.Si., with the help of guiding the field visit were the Coordinator of Community Service Activities, Dr. Djoko Santoso, M.Si.; the Chair of the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy’s XVI Lustrum Committee, Dr.rer.nat. apt. Yosi Bayu Murti, M.Si.; and the Chair of the Samigaluh Subdistrict Farmers’ Group Association (Gapoktan), Pudjijono, S.Pd.
The event started with a warm welcoming remarks from Prof. Nanang Fakhrudin, representing the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy, and Mr. Pudjijono, representing the local farmers. Following the welcoming ceremony, participants were taken on a tour through the village to visit the vast expanses of medicinal plant plantations. Furthermore, the Taiwanese delegation also had the opportunity to witness firsthand the extraction process at the essential oil processing facility. To conclude the visit, the entire group was treated to authentic traditional herbal drink prepared and processed by the residents of Samigaluh. This tasting experience marked the end of the visit before the group moved on to the next activities on their agenda.
This visit to a medicinal plant farm serves as tangible evidence of the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy’s commitment to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. This field visit with a delegation from Taiwan demonstrated the strengthening of SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through cross-national collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Furthermore, the empowerment of local farmers, along with the introduction to essential oil processing facilities and the tasting of traditional herbal drink, concretely supports the achievement of SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, as well as SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, all aimed at preserving the heritage of natural-based medicine that empowers the rural economy. Furthermore, the introduction and utilization of local medicinal plants also contribute to SDG 15, Life on Land, particularly by promoting biodiversity conservation, encouraging the sustainable use of plant resources, and raising awareness of the importance of conserving medicinal plants and the terrestrial ecosystems in which they thrive.
Writer: Gilang | Editor: Fathul | Photo: Gilang
