Saturday 10/06/2021, University of Indonesia Environmental Science Study Program, has held an Open Session for Doctoral Promotion against promovendus Agie Wandala Putra with his defended dissertation entitled “Climate Change-Based Food Price Volatility Prediction Model in the Framework of Sustainable Adaptation at the Farmer Level” online.

The Doctoral promotion session of promovendus Agie Wandala Putra, was chaired by SIL Director Dr. dr. Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, M.Si. with promoter Prof. Dr. Jatna Supriatna, M.Sc and as co-promoters Raldi Hendro. S. Koestoer, M.Sc., Ph.D., APU, and Dr. dr. Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, M.Si. Acting as a panel of examiners in this open doctoral promotion session included Prof. Dr. Dwi Korita Karnawati, M.Sc. P.hD., Dr. Andi Eka Sakya, M.Eng., Dr. Yunus Swarinoto, Dr. Drs. Eko Kusratmoko, M.S., Dr. Drs. Suyud Warno Utomo, M.Si.

In his dissertation, the promovendus Agie Wandala Putra tries to show the novelty in this research, which is to provide a new perception in measuring food security by using food price volatility. The climate data approach is used to analyze price volatility patterns along with social and economic variables. Climate change projections are carried out to see vulnerable areas in food production and then farmers’ perceptions are measured to see their readiness to deal with climate change.

The promovendus Agie Wandala Putra also said that in his research, he found farmers’ adaptation patterns to the impact of climate change on food price uncertainty, especially at the household level. Furthermore, climate dynamics data is used as an input value for food price volatility prediction modeling. By using statistical methods and artificial neural network techniques, the estimated price volatility was successfully generated along with its predicted value, the resulting output is used to optimize a more sustainable food system.

So that the recommendations given by the promovendus Agie Wandala Putra in his research, that climate change projections made show that the area around Mount Lawu is experiencing a threat of increasing the frequency of extreme rain and longer dry events. For household-level food security, adaptation measures can be taken to ensure the economic ability of agriculture, not only through planting time strategies but other steps taken are by attending Climate Field Schools and agricultural programs, so that farmers in the Mount Lawu region are better prepared to face climate change in the future.

The promovendus Agie Wandala Putra currently works at BMKG as the Weather Early Warning Sub Division Coordinator at the Public Meteorology Center, Deputy for Meteorology and is active in the global multihazard alert system expert team at the World Meteorology Organization (WMO).

(Red Fira, editor Tyas, pict PW)