The Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture IPB, Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad, is given the Achmad Bakrie 2010 in the field of technology. Sjamsoe’oed has been chosen together with five other winners in the categories of literature, social thinking, medicine, science, and a special category researcher. Sjamsoe’oed deserves to have this award because he has directed the path to develop science and technology of seed in Indonesia.

His pioneering has inspired a number of graduates and agricultural institutions that deal with seedling using a developed technology. In his efforts to develop modern seedling industry in Indonesia, he expects there is a strategy to develop agriculture that can support food Security in the country. Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad describes why he wants to this award. According to him, this award does not mean ‘the have-nots give’. “I consider this purely separated from business.” said Sjamsoe’oed. Sjamsoe’oed said that in his written expression that was read by the committee of Bakrie Award at Wisma Proklamasi, Jl Proklamasi, Jakarta Pusat, Wednesday (4/8/2010).

According to Sjamsoe’oed, this award is considered as a trigger to keep developing science and technology of seed in Indonesia. Sjamsoe’oed does not agree if this award is considered as giving charity. Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad was born in Madiun, Jawa Timur, 24 June 1931. After finishing his secondary shool at SMA Budi Utomo Jakarta, he registered himself to the University of Indonesia and got a Bachelor degree (Engineer) from the Faculty of Agriculture. He continued his studies to Mississippi State University and got a Master degree in Seed Technology. He got a Doctoral degree in Agricultural Science from IPB based on his research on Seed Technology and his dissertation in 1972. His profession as a civil servant started in 1057 as Lecture Assistant at the Department of Agronomy, the Faculty of Agriculture UI, which later on becomes IPB until he retired as a professor in 1996. The structural positions that he held were the Head of Seed Science and Technology Laboratory, the Head of Agronomy Department, and the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, all in the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). 

Sjamsoe’oed is a prolific writer and he has published his scientific paper and popular articles, in the field of Seed Science and Technology, socio-economy aspects and agricultural agropolitics. So far he has written about 20 books. He once became a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of Indonesian Journal of Crop Science from the Department of Agriculture, Republic of Indonesia, and magazine The News on Science and Technology from LIPI. He also held the position of the Head of Redaksi Majalah Keluarga Benih dari Forum Ahli dan Peminat Benih. The awards he got, among others, from the Dean of College of Agriculture & Home Economic – Mississippi State University, for his writing and publication of the book ‘Dari Benih Kepada Benih’, Karya 47 Widya Utama from the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture IPB for his dedication in developing Seed Science and Technology. Other awards are Anugerah Sewaka Winayaroha from the Directorate General of Higher Education RI for his contribution to improving the quality of Higher Education, an award form newspaper KOMPAS as a dedicated thinker (Cendekiawan Berdedikasi), and an award from Asosiasi Perbenihan Indonesia (ASBENINDO) as the “Father of Seed”. Apart from his busy activities, Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad also paints using an oil paint technique, and his pseudo name is “Rimirelroos”. He also published a novel entitled ‘Mama is an Angel’ (Athena Press, 2004). (nm/from various sources).