Banda Aceh, Indonesia, May 20, 2026 — Belantara Foundation, in collaboration with the Environmental Management Graduate Program, the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and the Biology Education Program of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Pakuan University, successfully organized the 15th episode of the Belantara Learning Series (BLS Episode 15) under the theme “Bioprospecting for a Sustainable Bioeconomy in Indonesia: Bridging Conservation, Innovation, and Equitable Benefit-Sharing.”
The event was conducted in a hybrid format, with the onsite session held at the Graduate School Auditorium of Pakuan University in Bogor and online participation facilitated through Zoom and Belantara Foundation’s YouTube livestream. A total of 968 participants actively engaged in the event, reflecting the growing interest in sustainable biodiversity utilization and bioeconomy development in Indonesia.
The program was supported by Teras Mitra and the Indonesian Students Association in the Middle East and Africa (PPIDK Timtengka), and involved seven collaborating universities that simultaneously hosted local “Watch and Learn Together” sessions for students and faculty members. These institutions included Universitas Riau, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Universitas Antakusuma, Universitas Tanjungpura, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Kuningan.
The event was organized in commemoration of the 2026 International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated annually on May 22. This year’s theme, “Acting Locally for Global Impact,” underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement in halting and reversing biodiversity loss while promoting the sustainable utilization of biological resources. Within this context, bioprospecting was highlighted as a critical pathway for translating biodiversity conservation into tangible socio-economic benefits.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Dolly Priatna, Executive Director of Belantara Foundation, emphasized that bioprospecting must be conducted under a precautionary framework that safeguards ecosystem integrity while ensuring equitable outcomes for local communities.
“Bioprospecting is not merely about exploring the economic potential of Indonesia’s extraordinary biological wealth. It is equally about ensuring that local communities, as the primary custodians of forests and ecosystems, receive fair and sustainable benefits,” stated Dr. Priatna.
Dr. Priatna, who also serves as Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Partnerships at Universitas Pakuan, further noted that sustainable bioprospecting represents a strategic mechanism for integrating environmental conservation, technological innovation, and inclusive economic development. Through educational, research, and conservation initiatives, Belantara Foundation continues to foster collaboration among academia, government agencies, industry stakeholders, and younger generations to promote responsible biodiversity utilization.
Delivering the keynote address, Leonardo A.A. Teguh Sambodo emphasized that Indonesia’s biodiversity must be managed through an integrated approach spanning conservation, research, innovation, and downstream commercialization. He stressed that the transition from biological resources to a fully developed bioeconomy requires strong cross-sectoral collaboration involving government, academia, industry, local and Indigenous communities, and the media within a pentahelix framework.
According to Deputy Teguh, the development of a sustainable bioeconomy extends beyond economic transformation and encompasses social transformation that positions communities as both key actors and beneficiaries. He highlighted the importance of strengthening biodiversity exploration and databases, validating bioactive compounds, implementing environmentally responsible conservation measures, ensuring equitable Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanisms, and improving governance and innovative financing systems.
He further explained that these priorities have been incorporated into Indonesia’s national development agenda, including the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025–2045, the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2025–2029, and the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (IBSAP) 2025–2045. Additional initiatives include the Indonesia Blue Economy Roadmap 2025–2045, the National Spice Downstreaming Roadmap 2025–2045, and the advancement of biotechnology industries based on biological resources.
The Rector of Universitas Pakuan, Didik Notosudjono, underscored the strategic role of higher education institutions in advancing biodiversity-based research and generating innovations that contribute to sustainable bioeconomic development. He emphasized that universities must evolve into impact-oriented institutions capable of addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges through research excellence, innovation, and collaborative partnerships while upholding conservation principles and equitable benefit-sharing.
At the same event, Hadi Sukadi Alikodra, Professor of Forestry and Environmental Sciences at IPB University, described bioprospecting as the systematic exploration, classification, and investigation of valuable biological products—including novel chemical compounds, bioactive substances, genes, proteins, and genetic information—for commercial applications with actual and potential economic value derived from biodiversity.
He noted that responsible commercialization of bioprospecting can strengthen national economic resilience while maintaining biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, royalty-based benefit-sharing systems can provide sustainable financial support for forest conservation initiatives, Indigenous peoples’ rights protection, local economic development, employment generation, regional revenue enhancement, and national foreign exchange earnings.
In her welcoming remarks, Sri Setyaningsih expressed hope that the seminar would serve as a platform for exchanging knowledge, experiences, and innovative ideas related to sustainable bioeconomy development in Indonesia. She also conveyed appreciation to Belantara Foundation and all collaborating partners whose contributions ensured the successful implementation of the event.
The event also featured expert presentations from Dr. apt. Lusi Agus Setiani, Chair of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) at Pakuan University; Maily, Head of Corporate Advance Research and Evaluation Centre at Martha Tilaar Group; and Fahmi Afdhi Zaky, Marketing Manager of PT Alam Siak Lestari. The discussion was moderated by Sardi Duryatmo, former Editor-in-Chief of Trubus Magazine (2020–2023).