From the melon fields in Sumberejo Village, Blora, Central Java, a young man named Adi Latif Mashudi has taken a significant step. This Universitas Terbuka (UT) alumnus has just been inaugurated as one of the 26 Young Agriculture Ambassadors at the 2025 Young Ambassador Agriculture (YAA) event held by the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) in Ciawi, Bogor.
Adi’s name is not only well-regarded in his hometown but is now echoing nationally as an inspiration for the younger generation in the agricultural sector. This man, who once migrated to South Korea, has now returned home with his UT degree, proving that farming is not a last resort but a bright future if pursued seriously and innovatively.
“Alhamdulillah, I was able to represent the good name of Blora Regency and had the opportunity to become one of the grand finalists in the 2025 Young Ambassador Agriculture program,” said Adi with sparkling eyes when met at his melon greenhouse on Saturday (May 3, 2025).
Adi’s journey was not entirely smooth. He competed with 615 other participants from all over Indonesia to qualify for the program, which is part of Kementan’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Support Service (YESS). After going through a rigorous administrative and selection process, only 50 advanced to the grand final, and 26 of them, including Adi, were inaugurated as ambassadors.
His new status as a Young Agriculture Ambassador carries a great responsibility. Adi and his batchmates will be the driving force in pushing Indonesian agriculture towards a more modern, competitive, and youth-involved direction.
“There are three main tasks we bear. First, to encourage an increase in export commodities. Second, to actively participate in the Food Brigade program. Third, even though we are not directly part of the YESS program area, we still have to support the Merah Putih Cooperative,” he explained.
Currently, Adi manages the Girli Smart Ecosystem Farming Fruit Picking Agrotourism in his hometown. This land is not just a place for farming but also an educational and tourist space that opens the eyes of many people to the fact that agriculture can be developed creatively and profitably.
Adi’s story cannot be separated from his past as an Indonesian Migrant Worker (PMI) in South Korea. During his six years there, he not only worked hard but also completed his S1 degree in Management from Universitas Terbuka, which at that time partnered with a local university in Korea.
That step was a turning point. He brought home not only savings but also new knowledge and enthusiasm to develop his region through modern agriculture.
The Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UT, Dr. Meirani Harsasi, S.E., M.Si., separately conveyed her appreciation, “We are proud of the achievements of our alumnus, Adi Latif Mashudi. This is proof that the open and distance learning offered by UT is able to equip students, including those abroad, with relevant competencies that have a real impact on society,” she said.
The story of Adi Latif Mashudi is clear evidence that Universitas Terbuka alumni have a significant impact on society. Open and distance education does not prevent anyone from achieving success, even from a melon field in the depths of Blora.
