190 million ha of total land area (Quincieu 2015), Indonesian agriculture was
practically self-supporting in terms of food, especially rice (Soen 1968). With the
advantages of high rainfall, humidity, and warm climate, the biomass productivity of
tropical agriculture is considered among the highest in the world Agus et al. (2004).
However, with management that is still traditional, less effective, and efficient, the
productivity of tropical agriculture is lower than in temperate regions (Agus et al.
2011). Indonesian population was predicted to reach 288 million in the year 2050
(ADB 2011). The rapidly growing population results in narrowing the agricultural
area, while the demand for agricultural products continues to increase.
Conventional agriculture overcomes those issues by upgrading the yields through
fertilizer application. Excessive fertilizer application brings up several environmental damages, such as water pollution and generates higher greenhouse gas emissions
(Couwenberg et al. 2010; Toma et al. 2011; Xu et al. 2019). The use of organic
matter (biomass) and manure as fertilizer was considered better than chemical
fertilizer (Brenzinger et al. 2018; Li et al. 2018; Ren et al. 2017). First of all, resource
availability is abundant, so it is economically efficient. Second, biomass (plant
materials) is renewable energy since the plants get the energy directly from the sun
through photosynthesis (Agus et al. 2011). Biomass is rich in nutrients, which is
biologically effective not only to improve soil fertility and crop quality but also
protect the environment (Li et al. 2018). Aside from biomass as fertilizer, biomass,
and other agricultural wastes, especially livestock wastes in the form of manure,
could be converted into biogas (Neelakantan et al. 1978; Sasse 1988; Zahariev
2014). By using the available resources, it allows the cycle of the energy to remain
in the system, which is one big goal of bioeconomy.
Sustainable agriculture has become the center of attention for an agricultural
scientist to create a better farming system, based on natural resources, and last for
future generations. One step to achieve the concept of sustainable agriculture is what
we call bioeconomy. Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO)
defines bioeconomy as the “production, utilization, and conservation of biological
resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to
provide information, products, processes, and services across all economic sectors
aiming toward a sustainable economy” (Global Bioeconomy Summit 2018).
Bioeconomy promotes a shift from a non-renewable-based economy to renewable
biological resources, and a new biotechnical solution. Bioeconomy is highly
connected with the needs-producer sector, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
food industry, etc. (Pelli et al. 2018). The application of bioeconomy faces many
challenges, especially in Indonesia, which is accustomed to a conventional farming
system. Bioeconomy concept was adapted and tried to be applied to Universitas
Gadjah Mada (UGM) by developing the Integrated Bio-cycles Farming System
(IBFS) (Agus 2018).
Philp (2018) stated that the transformation to a bioeconomy is going to take time.
As simple as the transition from coal to renewable fuel during the industrial revolution, it took much effort in decades. The application of bioeconomics still shows its
complexity and is a big challenge to implement in certain sectors. Bioeconomy has
become a global challenge, as well as in Indonesia. Setting sustainable development
10 Tropical Biological Natural Resource Management Through Integrated. . .
211
practically self-supporting in terms of food, especially rice (Soen 1968). With the
advantages of high rainfall, humidity, and warm climate, the biomass productivity of
tropical agriculture is considered among the highest in the world Agus et al. (2004).
However, with management that is still traditional, less effective, and efficient, the
productivity of tropical agriculture is lower than in temperate regions (Agus et al.
2011). Indonesian population was predicted to reach 288 million in the year 2050
(ADB 2011). The rapidly growing population results in narrowing the agricultural
area, while the demand for agricultural products continues to increase.
Conventional agriculture overcomes those issues by upgrading the yields through
fertilizer application. Excessive fertilizer application brings up several environmental damages, such as water pollution and generates higher greenhouse gas emissions
(Couwenberg et al. 2010; Toma et al. 2011; Xu et al. 2019). The use of organic
matter (biomass) and manure as fertilizer was considered better than chemical
fertilizer (Brenzinger et al. 2018; Li et al. 2018; Ren et al. 2017). First of all, resource
availability is abundant, so it is economically efficient. Second, biomass (plant
materials) is renewable energy since the plants get the energy directly from the sun
through photosynthesis (Agus et al. 2011). Biomass is rich in nutrients, which is
biologically effective not only to improve soil fertility and crop quality but also
protect the environment (Li et al. 2018). Aside from biomass as fertilizer, biomass,
and other agricultural wastes, especially livestock wastes in the form of manure,
could be converted into biogas (Neelakantan et al. 1978; Sasse 1988; Zahariev
2014). By using the available resources, it allows the cycle of the energy to remain
in the system, which is one big goal of bioeconomy.
Sustainable agriculture has become the center of attention for an agricultural
scientist to create a better farming system, based on natural resources, and last for
future generations. One step to achieve the concept of sustainable agriculture is what
we call bioeconomy. Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO)
defines bioeconomy as the “production, utilization, and conservation of biological
resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to
provide information, products, processes, and services across all economic sectors
aiming toward a sustainable economy” (Global Bioeconomy Summit 2018).
Bioeconomy promotes a shift from a non-renewable-based economy to renewable
biological resources, and a new biotechnical solution. Bioeconomy is highly
connected with the needs-producer sector, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
food industry, etc. (Pelli et al. 2018). The application of bioeconomy faces many
challenges, especially in Indonesia, which is accustomed to a conventional farming
system. Bioeconomy concept was adapted and tried to be applied to Universitas
Gadjah Mada (UGM) by developing the Integrated Bio-cycles Farming System
(IBFS) (Agus 2018).
Philp (2018) stated that the transformation to a bioeconomy is going to take time.
As simple as the transition from coal to renewable fuel during the industrial revolution, it took much effort in decades. The application of bioeconomics still shows its
complexity and is a big challenge to implement in certain sectors. Bioeconomy has
become a global challenge, as well as in Indonesia. Setting sustainable development
10 Tropical Biological Natural Resource Management Through Integrated. . .
211