UNAIR NEWS – A student team from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), known as FarmForward, delivered an impressive performance at the 3rd International Youth Summit held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Organized by the Sentosa Foundation in collaboration with INSAN USIM, USIM, and the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS), the event attracted competitive entries from various institutions.
Out of several participating teams, seven advanced to the finals. Among them, UNAIR’s FarmForward team earned a Gold Medal in the “Law and Economics” category and was named the second overall winner. Additionally, Universitas Airlangga secured the Grand Champion title for achieving the highest overall performance at the summit.
The FarmForward team consists of five students from different academic backgrounds: Azzela Neirine Maharani (Accounting, 2024) served as team leader, joined by Fandy Ahmad Firmansyah Anwar (Accounting, 2023), Safrina Putri Indira (Management, 2023), Zhafa Putra Syah (Communication Studies, 2023), and Rafi Aqillah Afif (English Literature, 2023).
Tackling farm labor issue with socioeconomic solutions
Focusing on the “Law and Economics” theme, the team presented their project titled FARMFORWARD: Empowering Communities Through a Social Enterprise Consultant to Achieve Sustainable Economic Goals. The initiative addressed the vulnerabilities of agricultural workers, including low wages, crop failure, and food loss—factors that threaten the long-term economic security of farmers.
To combat these challenges, the team proposed a social enterprise model centered on community empowerment and economic sustainability. “Our concern led to genuine empathy, which helped make our presentation more impactful and emotionally resonant,” said Zhafa Putra Syah.
Facing hurdles and looking ahead
The team began preparing their research paper in early February and practiced their presentation weekly. Although they were unexpectedly asked to submit their presentation slides just two days before the competition, they were already well-prepared.
Indira expressed hope that the project could be expanded in collaboration with the government and relevant stakeholders. “We believe this solution can be scaled and implemented more broadly across Indonesia,” she said.
Anwar added that the experience has encouraged them to stay active on the global stage. “We hope to continue representing UNAIR and Indonesia in future international events,” he said.
Their achievement not only highlights the students’ academic and creative strengths but also reflects UNAIR’s culture of collaboration, empathy, and innovation in addressing real-world problems.
Author: Panca Ezza Aisal Saputra
Editor : Ragil Kukuh Imanto
