Agro-SocioeconomicNewsletter - Pusat Sosial Ekonomi dan ...

Vol. 01 No. 1 February 2007 Page 7element to enhance the capacity of people to master thedevelopment of knowledge and technology. Other infrastructuresare very important in relation with the community welfare,including road connection, housing, and so on.This collaborative research is aimed to understand the effect ofinvestment in infrastructures and its impact on the level of ruralcommunity welfare. Researchers from the three institutions(ICASEPS, JBIC, and IFPRI) are closely working together toaccomplish this study.Correspondence: sonnysumaryanto@yahoo.comICASEPS NewsWHAT IS ICASEPS?ICASEPS is a research institutionin which its mandate is to carry outagro-socioeconomic andagricultural policy analysis inIndonesia. Under the Agency forAgricultural and ResearchDevelopment, ICASEPS as asubsidiary institution of theSecretariat General of Ministry ofAgriculture, serves the national interest in agriculturaldevelopment.ICASEPS is established at its current stand after severaladjustment made to respond to the change in national agriculturaldevelopment trend. Founded in 1976, the Center was earlierknown as the Center for Agro-Economic Research with majorityof its human resources was sent to study in country and abroad.The office title was replaced by the Center for Agro-Socioeconomic Research (in 1990) to accommodate socialaspects in its research agenda, and Center for Agro-Socioeconomic Research and Development (in 2001) toaccommodate development in its research mandate. Only afterseveral thoughts and anticipation to respond to future trend thatthe current name is adjusted to particularly give more rooms andenlarge its capacity to conduct studies on agricultural policy(2005). Seven directors had served the Center over 30 yearssince its establishment, they were Prof. Dr. Sjarifuddin Baharsjah(1976-1983), Dr. Faisal Kasryno (1983-1989), Dr. EffendiPasandaran (1989-1995) Dr. Achmad Suryana (1995-1998) Dr.Tahlim Sudaryanto (1998-2002), Dr. Pantjar Simatupang (2002-2005). After several positions in the Ministry of Agriculture, theincumbent Director, Dr. Tahlim Sudaryanto was re-assigned andtaking his second term to lead the Center (2005-now).ICASEPS has 121 researchers consists of 27 Doctoral degree,51 Master degree, and 43 Sarjana equal to bachelor degree. TheCenter is also served by 107 supporting staff who are mainlyworking on computer center and other administrative affairs.Duty and FunctionICASEPS duty is to conduct analysis and assessment on socialeconomic and agricultural policies issues.Functions of ICASEPS are: (a) to formulate social economicanalysis and agricultural policies; (b) to conduct study on socialeconomic and agricultural policies; (c) to conduct reassessmentof programs and policies of agricultural issues; (d) to offertechnical services in social economic analysis and agriculturalpolicies; (e) to conduct research collaboration, to utilize analysisand assessment results, and to implement public consultancy insocial economic aspects and agricultural policies; (f) to evaluateand to report studies and assessment on social economic andagricultural policies; and (g) to manage administration andgeneral affairs of the center.VisionICASEPS vision is to become an international, decisive, reliableresearch center in generating agricultural social-economicinformation and sciences, and to be proactive in recommendingalternative agricultural development policies.MissionTo conduct analysis and assessment to produce agriculturalsocial-economic information and sciences as the primaryproducts of the center.To conduct policies analyses, namely to process information andsciences of the analysis results into alternative recommendationsof agricultural development policies.To advocate agricultural development through public campaign tomobilize participation of related institutions and the community insupporting agricultural development.To develop institutional capacity of the center to accomplish itsvision and mission.WELCOME COLLEAGUESDoctoral degree is the highest academic achievement one couldobtain. ICASEPS is very thankful to welcome back two of itsresearchers who have awarded their doctoral degree at IPB,Bogor.Dr. Nyak IlhamDissertation title: “Efektivitas Kebijakan HargaPangan terhadap Ketahanan Pangan danDampaknya pada Stabilitas Ekonomi Makro”(Effectivity of Food Price Policy and Its Impact onMacro Economic Stability), 4 December 2006.Dr. Reni KustiariDissertation title: “Analisis Ekonomi tentangPosisi dan Prospek Kopi Indonesia di PasarInternasional” (Economic Analysis on Positionand Prospect of Indonesia’s Coffee inInternational Market), 30 January 2007On this educational attainment, Prof. IsangGonarsyah of IPB expresses his feeling by sayingthat intellectual community has its freedom to serve according toits capacity and background of his/her interest. Lately, theinteraction between researchers and politicians has becomingjeopardize with certain tendency of people involved to take themost advantageous opportunity for his/her own short-termbenefit. As a consequence, a paralysis of analysis could not beavoided as it will serve only the interest of certain group ofcommunity. In this respect, neither solve the people’s problemsnor the integrity of the researchers-politicians but the creation ofmore pitfalls.On this context, Dr. F. A. Bernado (1982) said, as quoted by Prof.Isang Gonarsyah when he delivered his speech at Reni Kustiari’sfinal examination: “Evaluation of research performance may bedone by colleagues, external party and end-users of researchresults. The colleagues viewpoints tend to be largelycomplementary, the external party’s, at times biting; and the endusersresoundingly final, though often made in silence. Glory bethose who pass the end-users’ judgement. So, know specially thepeople you serve. They are the reasons for your being, themeasure of your relevance”.