Yogyakarta, May 19th 2023 — The Extension and Development Communication Master Program collaborated with the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a guest lecture at the Margono Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. The event featured Harro Maat, Associate Professor at Wageningen University, Netherlands, as keynote speaker.
The lecture titled “The Colonial Reshaping of Agriculture on Java: The Role of Western Science and Farmers’ Knowledge”, Maat discussed how the colonial agricultural system in Java was not entirely controlled by Western science, but was also shaped by the active contributions of local knowledge from farmers and plantation workers.
According to Maat, the plantation system – considered the backbone of colonial agriculture, characterized by land control, limited cropping patterns, and its connection to global markets — relied heavily on interactions between colonial experts and local communities. “Many local practices and knowledge were adopted into the colonial agricultural system. This is evidence that farmers’ knowledge was not merely complementary, but a part of the scientific process itself,” he stated.
Harro Maat, as a researcher in the history and sociology of science and technology, places great emphasis on grassroots technology, sustainable agroecology, and food sovereignty, both in colonial and postcolonial contexts. His presence at the guest lecture is expected to broaden the perspective of master students in the Extension and Development Communication Master Program regarding the relationship between science, society, and agricultural development.
Author: Yeti Susilowati