In the heart of Central Java, Indonesia, a group of young change-makers is redefining the fight against food waste. At Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), widely known as Indonesia’s leading Conservation University, students are transforming surplus food into economic and social value, a mission that strengthens community resilience against hunger.
The initiative, recently featured in the Business and Accounting Education Journal, showcases a circular economy model where students serve as innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Their goal: to reduce food loss and waste through a blend of academic innovation and grassroots action.
Aditya Nanda Yulianto, lead author of the study, emphasized “Collaboration among key stakeholders, from academics to zero waste communities and student conservation cadres, is critical for transforming food waste into economic and environmental value. Innovation, balance, and empowerment are at the heart of this mission.”
At the core of this approach lies the ABCGM collaboration framework — bringing together Academics, Business, Community, Government, and Media to close the loop in food systems. This synergy ensures that food waste is diverted from landfills and repurposed into compost, black soldier fly feed, and other value-added products that boost local food production and reduce hunger risks.
The research reveals that the most powerful drivers of change in this initiative are the high-impact partnerships forged between UNNES academics, Zero Waste Communities, and student conservation cadres. These collaborations ensure that efforts are both knowledge-driven and deeply rooted in community action. At the heart of the strategy lies a focus on innovation and competitiveness, blending the principles of Natural Balance, Production, and Profit (3P) with strong community empowerment.
This approach not only advances local sustainability but also aligns closely with Indonesia’s ambitious goal of reducing waste by 70% by 2025 — setting a scalable model that can be adopted by other universities and cities across Southeast Asia.
With its strategic location in Semarang, one of Central Java’s major metropolitan hubs, and a decade-long commitment to conservation education since 2010, UNNES is emerging as a regional role model for sustainable campus management and community-based food waste solutions.
“This is more than waste management — it is about rethinking our relationship with food, empowering communities, and ensuring that no one is left hungry,” added Aditya.
The model is now inspiring discussions beyond Indonesia, offering a blueprint for how universities in developing nations can leverage student-led innovation to tackle food waste while advancing food security, economic opportunity, and climate resilience.
Sumber artikel:
https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/baej/article/view/11296
