Jakarta, Jan 27 (Antara) - Scientists acknowledge that Indonesia has abundant biodiversity, with at least three million species, including plants, with extraordinary properties that could be utilized to produce antibiotics having high economic potential.
"All sources of biodiversity have high potential which, if studied, can become extraordinary economic resources," Hari Sutrisno, the chief zoology researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences' (LIPI's) Biological Research Center, stated on Thursday last week.
Such potentials have yet to be explored maximally, though these could virtually become the sources for bioeconomic development as an asset to develop the economy of this country, he explained.
However, LIPI still lacks adequate researchers to conduct studies on the country's rich biodiversity. According to LIPI, Indonesia only has about 40 researchers per million population, while in Europe, the ratio could reach two thousand researchers per million.
As part of its efforts to advance research, LIPI has cooperated with its German partner, Museum of Naturkunde (MfN). The cooperation in biodiversity research is aimed at developing bioeconomy that would offer prosperity to the people.
"Therefore, in the context of cooperation with Germany, we need to identify applicable areas of research that will benefit the economic sector. It could also serve as an initial step in the development of a biodiversity information infrastructure system, both nationally and regionally. This will provide easy access to data on biodiversity in Indonesia," Sutrisno stated last week.
He pointed out that several types of antibiotic substances were found in microbes. Due to the high demand for antibiotics, it holds huge economic value. Anti-malarial and anti-cancer medicinal properties were also found in several plants.
Sutrisno furnished the explanation during a conference on Biodiversity as an Economic Resource and Innovative Exploitation for Science and Society (BIORES) held at several locations in Cibinong, West Java, on Thursday, last week.
Microbiologist researcher of LIPI's Biology Research Center, Sarjiya Antonious, also expressed hope that the cooperation would lead to the transfer of technology in the field of biodiversity as there is a dire need for such technology in conducting studies on the potential of biodiversity.
The German MfN and the Indonesian LIPI have virtually established cooperation since 2004, but the form of cooperation for basic research on taxonomy or certain species of animals was still individual in nature.
Meetings, workshops, and seminars have been held regularly in Indonesia and Germany since 2012. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has agreed to provide funds to support the Indonesian-German partnership's research activities based on the theme "Biodiversity and health from biodiscovery to biomedical innovation" in 2014.
Hari said the two sides had, so far, discussed research activities, ranging from explorations to the utilization of microbes, plants, and insects as raw materials for anti-infection therapy, database information system, and the improvement of Indonesian human resources through a scholarship scheme.
Explorations in the field of biodiversity have been conducted at the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park in 2015 and will be continued during the April-May 2016 period.
The conference is aimed at boosting and promoting cooperation in various relevant fields among different circles, starting from the government, academicians, non-governmental organizations (NGO) to private companies. Thus, intensified cooperation is expected to pave the path for further utilization of resources to improve the nation's biodiversity-based economy.
In the meantime, LIPI Head Prof Iskandar Zulkarnaen said Indonesia still needs a large number of researchers on taxonomy to identify different types of biodiversity, which reaches some three million species.
"We lack researchers on taxonomy. We hope we could recruit more. But the problem now is that the government has been imposing a moratorium (on civil servant recruitment) since last year and this year, while many of our experts have now reached the retirement age," Professor Iskandar stated during a function in Jakarta on Thursday (Jan 21).
He explained that at least one thousand researchers are ideally needed for a population of one million. However, the number of researchers in Indonesia is still far below the required number, reaching only 40 per million people. Indonesia now has a population of about 250 million people.
"In Europe, the number of researchers accounts for two thousand per one million population, South Korea about four thousand, and Israel 6.5 thousand," he remarked.
He emphasized that there is a huge demand for taxonomy researchers, particularly those involved in the research on amoeba specimens. According to the LIPI chief, his institute did not have a taxonomy researcher.
However, although LIPI lacks researchers, ) is targeting to identify at least 20 new biodiverse species, particularly belonging to the flora, fauna, and microorganism categories, in 2016.
"The aim to find 20 species is a rational target. But, probably, the LIPI researchers will work hard to exceed the target even though the funds are limited," LIPI Deputy Chief Prof. Enny Sudharmonowati stated.
The professor said the 20 new species were expected to be found during an NKRI 2016 Expedition in the West Papua corridor.
She suggested that various sides involved in the expedition such as students and government officials should undergo training on the current species in the inventory.
The training is important, so that stocktaking of the species could be carried out correctly based on a scientific method and to ensure that the species could be examined and identified accurately.
Enny remarked that discovering new microorganism species was important as various forms of bacteria could be found in the leaves and trunks of plants that could be extracted and used for medicinal purposes.
According to data provided by LIPI, Indonesia has about one million plant species, the stocktaking of which had been conducted since 1841 by the Herbarium Bogoriense.
The Zoologicum Bogoriense Museum in the meantime houses a scientific collection of animal specimens reaching three million animal species, which have been collected since 1819.
LIPI had admitted to not having complete data on the identification of species found in 74 varied ecosystems in Indonesia. So far, the state could have only identified 30 percent of its fauna species and 50 percent of its flora.
Therefore, research to identify the abundant biodiversity is of paramount importance and needs funding support and qualified human resources.***4***(A014/INE/B003)
EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 27-01-2016 19:24:4 |
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