Focus Group
Focus Group Discussion
The Focus Group Discussion on Enhancing Sustainable and Green Leather Technology in Indonesia, organized by the Faculty of Animal Science UGM through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building for Higher Education (CBHE) program, took place on May 17, 2024.
The FGD was attended by members of ELEGTEC, academics, government officials, and leather tanning industry representatives in Indonesia. The event began with welcoming remarks from Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science,Prof. Budi Guntoro, followed by a speech from Dimos Papakonstantinou (project partner, CRETHIDEV, Greece), and a presentation by the project coordinator Prof. Mehmet Mete Mutlu from EGE University (Turkey) regarding the ELEGTEC Project.
During the FGD, discussions centered around challenges faced by the leather industry in Indonesia, such as technological competitiveness and environmental sustainability, while fostering partnerships and sharing leather tanning technology knowledge.
Prof. Yuny Erwanto, representing the ELEGTEC local coordinator in Indonesia, acknowledged the potential and prospects of the Indonesian leather tanning industry. ELEGTEC also noted the challenges faced by various leather tanning industries, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in addressing technological competitiveness and waste management. He emphasized the need for synchronization between livestock farming, animal slaughter, and leather tanning to ensure the quality of raw hides, enabling better processing and increased export production that boosts foreign exchange.
The hope of result is to establish a foundation for a sustainable and mutually beneficial ecosystem through collaboration between academia and the Indonesian leather tanning industry.