In Response to the Minister of Agriculture’s Recognition, IPB University Strengthens Its Contribution to National Seed Production Through New High Yielding Rice Varieties Recently, the IPB 9G rice seed variety received recognition from the Minister of Agriculture. As a tangible show of support, the Ministry of Agriculture purchased IPB 9G rice seeds worth Rp250 billion. In response, IPB University reaffirmed its readiness to meet the challenge set by the Minister by continuing to develop high-yielding rice varieties. A “Rice Seed Production Field Meeting” was held at the IPB Experimental Rice Field, Kp Sawah Baru, Babakan, Dramaga, Bogor (4/13). Rector Dr Alim Setiawan Slamet stated that IPB University continues to encourage breeders to produce innovative, high-yielding rice varieties that are adaptive and productive. “We strongly support exceptional breeders like Prof Hajrial to continue developing high-yielding varieties, particularly rice seeds. Alhamdulillah, IPB has produced 15 high-yielding varieties, ranging from IPB 1R to IPB 15S, whose seeds we are harvesting today,” he said. He added that IPB University’s high-yielding varieties are now widely accepted by the public and used on nearly 110.000 hectares of land in Indonesia. In fact, he noted, IPB University has been challenged by the government to develop varieties with yields of up to 15 tons per hectare. “We will strengthen collaboration, both domestically and internationally, to address these challenges in order to support national food security,” he added. Meanwhile, Prof. Hajrial Aswidinnoor, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at IPB University, explained that the development of IPB’s high-yielding varieties focuses not only on productivity but also on nutritional value and environmental sustainability. “We continue to strive to produce varieties that not only yield high harvests but also contain nutrients such as zinc (Zn) and folic acid (FA), and are efficient in fertilizer and water use,” he explained. He