"The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible" by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson, Narrated by Benjamin Hardy on Audible

 

As someone who is building a small business, or perhaps I could call it a small project, Dzikra Yuhasyra's eCommerce, do scaling the  business is a future direction of my intention. To dig more about it, I just finished listening to an audiobook entitled "The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible" by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson, narrated by Benjamin Hardy on Audible. 

The authors define the three elements of The Scaling Framework: "Frame", "Floor", and "Focus". Your "Frame" is what you see based on your goals; your "Floor" is what you filter out (defining what you don't do); and your "Focus" is the specific path and partners you choose to realize the goal. This structure addresses the common problem where businesses are diluted, overly complex, and lack clarity. The importance of "Impossible Goal and Time" also "Simplifying Our Focused System"  are the main lessons learned from this book. 

I want to share with you the insights and key takeaways from the audiobook, as well as the audiobook supplemental materials for bonus. So, here they are. Happy learning, and enjoy!

Foreword

The foreword, written by Tony Robbins, begins by identifying a pivotal moment in every achiever's life where they realize they are stuck not due to a lack of talent or ambition, but because they have been aiming too small. Robbins notes that while many founders and leaders grow rapidly early on through innovation and risk-taking, they often hit a plateau where they shift from scaling to sustaining, and from compounding to incremental growth, which is where the dream begins to die.

Robbins praises the book as extraordinary, describing it not just as a manual for business growth but as a complete reorientation of how we think about achievement itself. He highlights that breakthroughs are born from unreasonable goals, urgent timelines, and emotionally compelling reasons, rather than from certainty or perfect plans. This philosophy aligns with Robbins' own experience of setting game-redefining goals, such as feeding 100 million people in a year or growing his companies to billions in revenue.

A key insight from the foreword is that exponential growth requires a massive, seemingly impossible target that forces leaders to think and execute differently, demanding innovation instead of imitation. Robbins asserts that realistic goals are rarely inspiring and that uninspiring goals rarely transform businesses or lives. The book captures the unspoken psychology that extraordinary achievers follow, shifting readers from the "metrics of comfort" to the "math of compounding".

Robbins emphasizes that "The Science of Scaling" represents a break from traditional thinking about growth, leadership, and culture. He notes that the authors reframe scaling as a leadership imperative where your "floor" becomes your culture and your clarity becomes your competitive edge. This paradigm shift is essential for leaders who are ready to raise both their ceiling and their floor.

The foreword also serves as a call to action for business owners to stop inching forward and start leaping by breaking free from the limits of logic and stepping into "strategic audacity". Robbins suggests that this book provides the clearest, most actionable blueprint for creating exponential impact. He urges readers not just to read the book but to study, digest, and apply it.

Ultimately, Robbins frames the book as a guide to becoming the kind of person and building the kind of organization that cannot help but scale. He validates the book's core premise that setting a goal that redefines the game is the DNA of scaling. The foreword sets the stage for the reader to accept that what is often dismissed as "unrealistic" can become their new normal.

Robbins concludes by endorsing the authors, Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson, for capturing the science of achievement with clarity and precision. He expresses a rare sentiment that he wishes he had written this book himself because it perfectly codifies the simple strategies he has used to help business leaders achieve seemingly impossible goals. This high praise establishes the book's authority and transformative potential immediately.

Introduction: The Science of Scaling

The introduction opens with the historical context of President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 "Moon Speech," illustrating how he used an impossible goal to solve urgent national needs during the Cold War. Kennedy realized that traditional pathways were insufficient to win the race against tyranny, so he chose a "super priority"—space exploration—which was initially a fringe concept. By setting a deadline that the US was "unwilling to postpone," Kennedy organized the nation's best energies and skills toward a singular, unifying objective.

The authors introduce "The Scaling Framework," which is designed to help businesses scale bigger and faster than thought possible. They argue that most leaders fail to take Kennedy's concept to its full conclusion; they set attainable goals and expect moon-level results, which sets them up for failure. The core premise is that without goals, you cannot know where to focus, and that your entire reality is filtered by the goals you set.

A critical insight is that attainable goals result in a dull perceptual filter that cannot separate signal from noise, leaving businesses mired in complexity. In contrast, a seemingly impossible goal acts as a "hot knife," cutting through fears and faulty assumptions, forcing you to filter out everything that "should not exist". This rigorous filtering is necessary because most entrepreneurs are "optimizing things that should not exist" and lying to themselves about their stagnation.

The authors define the three elements of The Scaling Framework: "Frame", "Floor", and "Focus". Your "Frame" is what you see based on your goals; your "Floor" is what you filter out (defining what you don't do); and your "Focus" is the specific path and partners you choose to realize the goal. This structure addresses the common problem where businesses are diluted, overly complex, and lack clarity.

The introduction provides a case study of Mark Young, who used the framework to pivot his agency, Jeckyll & Hyde, from a diluted service model to a singular focus on mass retail. By setting an impossible revenue goal of $100 million in three years, Mark was forced to raise his floor and eliminate "below-the-floor" clients and services that were born out of fear. This clarity allowed him to speak with conviction, telling clients to "play big or go somewhere else," which immediately resulted in higher-value deals.

Hardy and Erickson emphasize that the primary reason companies don't scale is that the entrepreneur is lying to themselves, maintaining a complex system of "noise". They assert that you cannot scale a complex system or one where you are too afraid to define yourself. The introduction promises that applying this framework will lead to a paradigm shift so profound it changes how you see everything, moving you from incremental growth to exponential scaling.

Finally, the authors clarify who the book is for: leaders ready to scale 10x or more within three years. They warn that if you are not scaling aggressively, you are likely dying slowly. The introduction concludes by stating that the book will help you simplify your system and focus, helping you achieve goals that currently seem impossible, while weeding out the complexity that holds you back.

PART 1: CHANGE YOUR FRAME

Chapter 1: Set a Goal So Big You Think It's Impossible

Chapter 1 begins with the story of Alicia Ault, who stagnated for years until she set an impossible goal of 1,000 clients in 90 days for her software, LevelUp Score. Initially, she set a linear goal of 100 clients, which only promised to make her busier with cold calls. However, the impossible goal forced her to abandon her old methods and find a "powerfully scalable pathway" through partnerships with software companies, turning a single conversation into 8,000 potential users.

The authors explain that an impossible goal is one you don't initially know how to reach and which requires radically new approaches. These goals redefine what an organization is capable of and shift attention away from old routines toward novel and creative approaches. Alicia's success illustrates that impossible goals motivate high performance by mandating creativity and assumption-breaking thinking.

A key concept in this chapter is "Pathways Thinking," which is the ability to find or create multiple pathways to a goal. The authors argue that the goal you set determines the pathways you see; low goals result in weak pathways and ineffective filters. Conversely, an impossible goal acts as an intense filter, enabling you to bypass dead-ends and find the most effective path forward.

The chapter identifies four common mistakes in goal-setting: avoiding goals, setting low goals due to fear, avoiding trade-offs, and pursuing the wrong goal. The authors debunk the idea of "not having goals," arguing that all human action is goal-driven and that our perceptions are biased toward our goals. They emphasize that systems produce exactly what you ask them to, so unclear or competing goals create complex, unscalable systems.

Another insight is that committing to an impossible goal forces you to redefine who you are and become the best in the world at what you do. The authors share the story of photographer April Graves, who simplified her business from dozens of products to one high-end offering by setting a goal of a $15,000 average sale. This simplification allowed her to say, "We do this," rather than offering a diluted menu of services, thus making her world-class.

The chapter also discusses the danger of optimizing for the wrong goal, using Steve Balmer's tenure at Microsoft as an example where maximizing short-term profit cost the company massive innovation opportunities. The authors argue that even if you succeed in the wrong goal, it is a costly success. Instead, one must optimize for the "right impossible goal" to simplify focus and bypass noise.

The chapter concludes by contrasting "playing to win" vs. "playing to play," using the example of Tom Brady, whose goal of winning Super Bowls shaped a fundamentally different process than other quarterbacks. Brady optimized for longevity and team cap space, while others optimized for salary or stats. The key takeaway is that the goal determines the process, and a higher goal prevents years of wasted energy on ineffective paths.
 

JOURNAL PROMPTS & APPLICATIONS

• What is the goal shaping everything you’re now doing?
• Looking honestly and critically at your existing business, is your system simple or complex?
• Do you have multiple competing goals or one singular purpose driving everything you’re doing?
• What “impossible” goal would enable you to simplify your system and focus in the right way?

Chapter 2: Set a Timeline So Short You Think It's Impossible

Chapter 2 introduces the concept of "Time as a Tool," illustrating this with the story of Richard Bryan, who compressed his 11-year plan into a one-year impossible goal. By shortening the timeline, Richard was forced to sell his distractions (a real estate portfolio) and focus entirely on his coaching business and family, realizing that his long-term plan was actually justifying a lack of action. This shift allowed him to achieve in one year what he planned for a decade.

The authors explain that psychological time is different from clock time; the future is a tool to improve the present. A timeline that is too long is often "wrong" because it allows for procrastination and the optimizing of things that should not exist. They invoke Parkinson's Law, stating that work expands to fill the available time, and that aggressive deadlines force you to strip out unnecessary steps.

Elon Musk’s "Five-Step Algorithm" is presented as a method for scaling, starting with "Question requirements" and "Remove parts". Impossible deadlines act as a forcing function to identify "false requirements"—assumptions about what is needed that are actually just noise. This rigorous filtering allows leaders to focus solely on the most crucial elements toward the goal.

The chapter shares the story of Xavier Martine, an attorney who moved his 10-year revenue goal to three years, which immediately exposed inefficiencies in his firm. The tighter deadline forced him to identify that his English-speaking sales team was underperforming and that they were accepting "petty misdemeanor" cases that weren't profitable. Within 90 days of applying the timeline, his revenue and profitability soared.

The authors critique NASA’s 1960s moon mission, arguing that the 7-year timeline was actually too long and led to a linear, sub-optimal process. Had Kennedy set a 3-year deadline, NASA would have been forced to solve "the crux" (the lunar landing) immediately, rather than wasting time on non-critical Mercury and Gemini missions. The authors argue that deadlines force readiness and stop people from celebrating effort over results.

A key insight is that long-term goals (e.g., 10 years) justify bad decisions today, such as keeping poor team members or irrelevant products. In contrast, an 18-month deadline for a massive goal forces an "extreme filter" where you cannot waste time on nonsense. This "Grow Fast or Die Slow" mentality is supported by McKinsey data showing that high-growth companies yield significantly greater returns.

The chapter concludes by asserting that aggressively utilizing time as a tool weeds out "means goals" that get in the way of the desired end. By bringing the goal closer, you simplify your focus to the "crux" and scale that, achieving more in months than previously planned in decades. The authors challenge readers to cut their timelines in half to reveal the true path.

JOURNAL PROMPTS & APPLICATIONS

• What is the biggest and most important goal you have in your business?
• What if you gave yourself half the time to achieve it?
• Or, like Richard, what if you gave yourself 12 to 18 months to achieve it?
• How would that change your process and focus?
• What would you be required to eliminate?
• Are you willing to be that honest and rigorous with yourself? Or, are you comfortable maintaining a complex system that is unlikely to scale?
• How focused and simple is your system and business model? Is it focused on the crux that actually matters, that is the highest lever to your goal?

PART 2: RAISE YOUR FLOOR

Chapter 3: Be More Honest with Yourself and Quit the Wrong Stuff Faster

Chapter 3 opens with the cautionary tale of NBA player Zion Williamson, whose "low floor" of discipline and accountability undermined his sky-high potential. Despite his talent, his inability to stay in shape and be available made him a liability, illustrating that success depends not on your ceiling, but on your floor. The floor defines what you *don't* do, and raising it requires stripping out behaviors that conflict with your goal.

The authors define "The Floor" as the level of accountability, honesty, and transparency in a system. They use the biblical story of Esau trading his birthright for "a mess of pottage" to illustrate how people sacrifice their highest destiny for temporary comfort or lesser goals. Raising the floor means saying "no" to the mess of pottage and stopping the justification of mediocrity.

A significant case study is Kim Goodman, CEO of Smarsh, who raised the floor by cutting 20% of the workforce and firing clients that didn't fit the company's new "billion-dollar" frame. Her rigorous honesty about the company's inefficiencies allowed Smarsh to go from breakeven to over $100 million in profits in 18 months. This demonstrates that scaling requires a culture where high performance is the only acceptable standard.

The authors emphasize that you cannot scale if you are operating "below the floor," which creates psychological stress and dilution. Raising the floor involves exposing the truth of where you are and making uncomfortable decisions to eliminate what no longer fits. It requires becoming a "pro" who practices until they can't do it wrong, versus an amateur who avoids accountability.

Blake Erickson’s story of his mission in Peru illustrates the power of "filtering faster". By establishing three strict filtering questions, he stopped wasting time on people who weren't ready to commit, allowing him to exceed his impossible goal of 100 baptisms. This "fast folding" approach, similar to professional poker players, is essential for avoiding the sunk-cost bias that traps amateurs.

The chapter asserts that raising the floor increases your character and maturity, as you stop justifying things that hold you back. It is noted that as you become more successful, the "yeses" become more expensive, and one wrong yes can put everything at risk. Therefore, the filter must become tighter, and the floor higher, the more you grow.

Ultimately, the authors conclude that until the floor truly becomes the floor—meaning anything below it is ruthlessly eliminated—you will not scale. This process of elimination provides immediate relief and energy, as the tension of maintaining a complex, contradictory system dissipates. Raising the floor is the "crux" of scaling because it transforms the culture and the leader.

JOURNAL PROMPTS & APPLICATIONS

• What in your life or business do you already know is below your floor? What do you feel the biggest risk of eliminating this is?
• What have you delayed eliminating for far too long?
• What conversation have you delayed for far too long?

Chapter 4: Simplify Your System

Chapter 4 argues that simplicity is the primary source of agility and scaling, contrasting the decline of Argentina (due to complex, corrupt systems) with its potential turnaround under Javier Milei's simplification efforts. The authors posit that you cannot scale a complex system; you must strip out the "elephant" of complexity that dominates your resources. Complexity makes change difficult, while simplicity enables it.

The chapter highlights Steve Jobs’ return to Apple, where he cut 350 products down to 10, proving that innovation is "saying no to 1,000 things". This radical simplification allowed Apple to regain focus and profitability. The authors assert that most businesses are doing too many things, most of which are holding them back, and that scaling requires a singular focus.

A powerful example is given of Lewis Howes, who walked away from millions in revenue from coaching and masterminds to focus solely on his podcast. This decision to eliminate "good" income streams allowed his podcast to grow from 30 million to 500 million downloads. This illustrates the necessity of killing "good" ideas to focus on the one thing that can truly scale.

The story of Stephanie, a CEO who sold her family business's legacy product to focus on services, demonstrates the emotional difficulty of simplification. By selling the product side, she removed the "elephant" that was preventing her from achieving her $70 million goal, allowing her to acquire competitors and scale services. This reinforces that the "impossible goal" makes it obvious which parts of the business are dead ends.

The authors discuss the concept of "cannibalization," where companies must be willing to disrupt their own successful products to move to the next level. They cite Clayton Christensen's "Innovator's Dilemma," noting that successful firms fail because they refuse to pivot from what is currently working but ultimately limited. Raising the floor often means pivoting and letting go of the past to embrace a more scalable future.

Tom Wood of Floor Coverings International (FCI) serves as another case study, setting a $1 billion revenue goal that required a new floor: franchisees must average $2 million in revenue. This meant the corporate team had to stop accepting performance below this level, radically changing their culture and support systems. This simplification—focusing only on high-performing franchisees—was the key to their aggressive scaling plan.

The chapter concludes by asking readers to identify "the elephant" they are dragging around. It challenges them to consider what they would eliminate if their floor was significantly higher. The core message is that simplicity enables scale, and until you simplify your system, you are just "optimizing things that should not exist".

JOURNAL PROMPTS & APPLICATIONS

• What is the elephant in your life and business that you’re dragging around with you?
• What aspects of your complex system are diluting your focus and stopping you from 10x’ing or more what actually matters and can scale?
• What if the floor for a much higher future actually became your floor? What if you stopped saying yes to stuff that has unbelievable opportunity cost?

PART 3: ACCELERATE YOUR FOCUS

Chapter 5: Do the Work to Engineer a Focused Path and Scalable Model

Chapter 5 contrasts the stagnation of Nike, which lost focus on "sport" and product innovation, with the success of focused companies. Nike's value plummeted because they stopped innovating and drifted from their core mission. This serves as a warning that without a focused path and continuous engineering of the model, even giants can fall.

The authors tell the story of Blake Murray and Divvy, who engineered a focused path by solving a specific problem: expense reports. Murray realized the "crux" was that software should be free, monetized instead by the interchange fees from credit cards—a model no one else was using. This unique, scalable model allowed Divvy to be acquired for $2.5 billion.

A key insight is that you must "do the work" to identify the high-leverage opportunity. Murray didn't just guess; he engineered a solution that made the competition irrelevant by offering a better value proposition (free software). This "focused path" is distinct from the "linear path" of best practices; it requires deep judgement and the courage to be different.

The chapter also details the story of CellCore and Ryan Riley, who simplified a complex line of supplements into a single "Protocol". By turning multiple products into one system, Riley created a scalable model that grew revenue from $500,000 to $46 million in four years. This reinforces that you cannot scale a complex system; you must engineer simplicity into the product itself.

Riley's success with CellCore also involved "doing the work" of stepping down as CEO to elevate the founders, Dr. Watts and Dr. Davidson, which increased the company's value by $50 million. This strategic move demonstrated that the model must be scalable beyond any single individual's ego. The "focused path" often requires such counter-intuitive decisions.

The authors emphasize that a scalable model must be "engineered," meaning it is deliberately designed to handle growth without breaking. Most businesses are not scalable because they are built on manual effort or complex, custom services rather than a streamlined engine. The "impossible goal" forces you to find and build this engine.

The chapter concludes by asking readers if their path is based on "best practices" or a unique, scalable solution. It reiterates that rapid growth comes from fast feedback loops and accelerating focus on the "crux". To scale, one must relentlessly refine the business model until it is simple, focused, and powerful.

JOURNAL PROMPTS & APPLICATION 

• How focused is your path toward your impossible goal?
• Is your path based on “best practices” of what everyone else is doing, or is it based on your unique perspective and solution?
• How scalable is your business model?

Chapter 6: Build Something That Can Scale Beyond Yourself

Chapter 6 uses George Washington as the ultimate example of a leader who scaled a system by stepping down, ensuring the United States would be a republic, not a monarchy. Washington knew that for the nation to outlive him, it couldn't depend on him. The authors argue that to scale effectively, you cannot be the "centerpiece" or the "king/queen" of your business.

The chapter introduces the concept of "Super Whos"—world-class talent that is worth 10,000 times the price of an average worker. Scaling requires attracting these individuals, who are only interested in "impossible goals". If you don't have the right people, you can have a nice business, but you won't scale rapidly.

The authors discuss the partnership between Elon Musk and the author, Blake Erickson, noting how Musk’s goal of Mars drives his involvement in politics and business. Similarly, the book's creation involved Blake Erickson stepping up as a "Super Who" for Dr. Hardy, proposing a co-authorship to scale the "Scaling.com" brand beyond just Hardy's name. This partnership allowed them to build a training company that wasn't dependent solely on Hardy's celebrity.

A key insight is that "Level 5 leaders" set up successors for greater success, whereas egocentric leaders set them up for failure. The authors admit that many "successful" thought leaders fail to scale because they refuse to give up control or equity. True scaling requires an abundance mindset where you are willing to share the upside with those who help you build it.

The chapter emphasizes that impossible goals act as a magnet for high-leverage partners. Blake Erickson was able to partner with Hardy because he brought a vision and commitment that matched Hardy's own. This "Super Who" collaboration is essential because 10x or 100x growth cannot be achieved alone.

The authors also highlight the importance of "killing your darlings" and having no ego, illustrated by Hardy hiring Tucker Max to edit the book despite the cost and potential bruising of ego. Scaling requires working with the best, and the best will tell you the truth, which requires humility.

The chapter concludes by challenging readers to ask if they are building a monarchy or a republic. It asserts that you must build a system that can run without you, fueled by people who are better than you at their specific roles. Only by letting go can you truly scale.

Conclusion: The Origin Story of Scaling.com

The conclusion details the formation of Scaling.com, born from the collaboration between Dr. Hardy and Blake Erickson. After struggling to find a partner with a "high enough floor," Hardy was approached by Erickson, who proposed a singular focus on "owning" the subject of scaling. Erickson’s bold proposal to be a co-author was strategic, designed to give him the credibility to lead the training company effectively.

The authors explain that Scaling.com is the only "performance-based" training program in the world, where members are held accountable to scale. This model reflects their commitment to the "impossible goal" of normalizing scaling for millions of businesses. They practice what they preach, applying the Scaling Framework to their own company at every step.

Hardy shares his realization that most business gurus don't understand scaling because they remain the bottleneck. The partnership with Erickson and CEO Daniel Amato allowed them to build a scalable model—one product, simple focus—that didn't rely on Hardy doing everything. This reinforces the book's themes of teamwork and simplicity.

The conclusion highlights the involvement of "Super Whos" like Tucker Max and Daniel Amato, who were essential to the project's quality and strategy. It serves as a real-time case study of the book's principles: impossible goals, short timelines, and high-level partnerships.

The authors express their mission to help stuck companies, arguing that stagnant businesses don't help the world. They position the book and the company as a movement to democratize scaling. The call to action is for readers to join this community if they are serious about 10x growth.

The section reiterates that clarity and commitment are the keys to scaling. By documenting their own journey, Hardy and Erickson provide proof of concept for the framework. The conclusion leaves the reader with a clear path to continue their learning and application.

Finally, the authors thank the reader and invite them to be part of the "impossible," ending on a note of high energy and expectation. This wraps up the book by turning the concepts into a tangible opportunity for engagement.

Appendix: Linear vs. Holistic Time

The appendix delves into the psychology of time, contrasting the "Linear Model" with the "Holistic Model". The linear model assumes the past determines the present, which determines the future—a "deterministic" view that limits agency. The authors argue this is the default mode for most people and organizations, leading to incrementalism.

In contrast, the "Holistic Model" posits that the future determines the present. Drawing on "prospection" research by Dr. Martin Seligman and Dr. Roy Baumeister, the authors explain that humans spend most of their time simulating futures to guide current decisions. The future is not a result; it is a cause of current behavior.

The authors introduce the concept of "Future Self" science, stating that the better we connect with our future self, the better we live in the present. This connection allows us to use the future as a filter, distinguishing signal from noise. This scientific backing validates the book's core strategy of using "impossible goals" to reshape reality.

"Selective attention" is highlighted as the mechanism by which goals shape perception. We only see what is relevant to our goals; everything else is ignored. Therefore, changing the goal literally changes what you see and the opportunities you find.

The appendix reinforces that impossible deadlines are powerful because they force extreme filtering. By bringing the future closer (time compression), you increase the intensity of the filter, stripping away non-essential actions. This is the psychological "how" behind the practical strategies in the book.

The authors provide resources for further learning, such as "holistictime.com" and "futureself.com". This section serves to ground the practical business advice in robust psychological theory. It bridges the gap between mindset and strategy.

Finally, the appendix concludes by reminding readers that time is a tool, not a master. By mastering the psychology of time, leaders can escape the trap of the past and consciously engineer their future. This philosophical underpinning gives weight to the entire Scaling Framework.

The Audiobook Supplemental Materials

Thank you!

2025's Recap: An Amazing Year of Journey! Let's Improve in 2026!

 

I was really grateful for an amazing year of journey in 2025, and let's improve in 2026! May Allah SWT always guides me and blesses my way ahead! Aamiin.. 

 

"Happy New Year 2026!"


Ujungberung - Bandung City,

1st January, 2026

Exabytes Digital Day (EDD): "Digitalisasi Agribisnis: Peluang Besar UMKM di 2026" with Zahra Amalina (Founder Terindo Group PT. Tetra Jaya Plusindo, Miss Indonesia Jawa Barat 2016) and Rayndra Syahdan Mahmudin, S.ST., M.MA (Ketua Umum Duta Petani Milenial & CEO Cipta Visi Group)

 

On 17th December 2025, I attended Exabytes Digital Day (EDD) entitled "Digitalisasi Agribisnis: Peluang Besar UMKM di 2026" with Zahra Amalina (Founder Terindo Group PT. Tetra Jaya Plusindo, Miss Indonesia Jawa Barat 2016) and Rayndra Syahdan Mahmudin, S.ST., M.MA (Ketua Umum Duta Petani Milenial & CEO Cipta Visi Group) as the speakers. 

Both speakers gave the "Gen-Z approaches" about how to run an agribusiness in today's digital era. Ms Zahra emphasized that today's farmers and agripreneurs should have a presence in digital platforms, such as social media and website to attract and educate Gen-Z that agribusiness is the backbone of our food security, it should implement data-driven technology, and do field work with style, so it has high value and is suitable with the youngsters. 

Mr Rayndra talked about how to scale up the small agribusiness system and why it matters. He said that post-harvest processing and packaging, also the implementation of Marketing 4.0, like Unique Selling Points (USP), Value Added, Digital Story Telling, and Direct to Consumer Business, will help the small-scale agripreneurs to do scaling-up their businesses. He emphasized the importance of self-branding to build partnerships, both locally and nationally, and globally to do export partnerships.

I want to share with you guys the speakers' materials, and I will also share the recording when it's available. Here they are. Happy learning, and enjoy!

Thank you!

"Economics: Making Sense of the Modern Economy, Third Edition" Audiobook Edited by Saugato Datta, Narrated by David Thorphe on Audible

 

As a Junior Agricultural Economist, learning Basic Economics Concepts, both macroeconomics and microeconomics, is a must. I just finished listening to an audiobook entitled "Economics: Making Sense of the Modern Economy, Third Edition" edited by Saugato Datta and narrated by David Thorphe on Audible. 

I got valuable insights about how the basic concepts of economics, both macroeconomics and microeconomics, played a role as a lens of analysis and structure to gain lessons learned on the Financial Crisis in 2008-2009 in the rich worlds and how it affected the emerging economies. It enriched my knowledge and perspective about how I use and analyze the macroeconomics and microeconomics of the world's economic conditions and phenomena.

I want to share with you the insights and key takeaways from the audiobook. Here they are. Happy learning, and enjoy!

Introduction

The book opens by situating itself in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008–09, an event described as the worst global recession since the Great Depression. This economic meltdown, which began in America's housing market, challenged long-held beliefs and forced a re-evaluation of economic policies that once seemed arcane. The introduction highlights how the crisis transformed discussions about fiscal and monetary policy from academic exercises into urgent, daily concerns for people around the world.

Edited by Saugato Datta, this collection brings together articles from "The Economist" that apply the "tools of the trade" to a vast array of issues, ranging from the causes of the global slump to the behavior of prostitutes and the nature of charitable giving. The intent is to provide a "guided tour" of the discipline, showing how economics offers a coherent framework for thinking about the world, rather than just a set of answers to specific questions.

The editor emphasizes that while the book covers the defining economic events of the first decade of the 21st century, its scope extends beyond the immediate crisis. It explores the "minutiae of fiscal and monetary policy," the determinants of growth, and the measurement of standards of living, asserting that the utility of economics lies in its versatility. The articles are selected not only for their relevance to the news of the week in which they were published but for their enduring importance to economic understanding.

A key theme introduced is the tension between established economic theory and the messy reality revealed by the crisis. The introduction notes that the global economy was saved from a 1930s-style depression largely through massive government intervention, a move that sparked intense debate about the proper role of the state in the economy. This sets the stage for later chapters that dissect the failings of macroeconomics and the search for new paradigms.

Finally, the introduction prepares the reader for a journey through three distinct parts: the foundational debates of economics, the unfolding of the global economy and its recent crisis, and the future of the discipline itself. It suggests that despite the "beating" the profession's reputation has taken, economics remains an essential prism for understanding modern life, from the high stakes of global finance to the quirks of human psychology.

Chapter 1: Debates about the Basics

This chapter begins by profiling Angus Maddison, a "chiffrephile" or lover of figures, who dedicated his life to quantifying economic history. Maddison’s work in estimating GDP dating back to 1 AD revealed deep historical roots of economic activity, showing, for instance, that Asia accounted for more than half of world output for 18 of the last 20 centuries. His passion for data provided the empirical foundation for major theories, such as the link between property rights and the prosperity of former colonies.

The chapter moves to the limitations of GDP as a measure of well-being, highlighting a report by a commission appointed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The commission, led by Joseph Stiglitz, argued for abandoning "GDP fetishism" in favor of measures that account for household income, consumption, wealth, and non-market activities like leisure and household production. It noted that while American GDP per person is higher than France's, the gap narrows significantly when leisure and government services are factored in.

The reliability of economic data in developing countries is also scrutinized, with a focus on the World Bank's revision of purchasing-power-parity (PPP) estimates. New data on prices revealed that the cost of living in countries like China was higher than previously thought, effectively shrinking the estimated size of the Chinese economy by 40% and increasing the global poverty count by hundreds of millions. This underscored the sensitivity of global poverty statistics to technical adjustments in measurement.

Another debate addresses the definition of a recession, challenging the popular "two consecutive quarters of declining GDP" rule. The chapter argues that a better measure of economic health is GDP per person, which accounts for population changes. By this metric, Japan’s economic performance in the early 2000s was actually superior to America's, contrary to the popular narrative of Japanese stagnation and American dynamism.

The chapter concludes with a tribute to Paul Samuelson, one of the 20th century's most influential economists, who brought mathematical rigor to the field and authored the best-selling textbook "Economics". Samuelson’s work spanned trade, macroeconomics, and finance, where he helped lay the groundwork for the efficient-market hypothesis, even as he remained a "cafeteria Keynesian" who believed markets often needed regulation. His career exemplified the discipline's struggle to balance theoretical elegance with the nuances of the real world.

Chapter 2: How Economies Grow

Chapter 2 investigates the drivers of economic growth, starting with the role of labor markets in China. It discusses the "Lewis turning point," a theoretical moment when a developing country's surplus rural labor is exhausted, leading to rising wages and a shift in industrial competitiveness. While some economists argued China had reached this point, others contended that structural barriers and demographics meant a labor surplus would persist, continuing to fuel growth.

The relationship between health and economic growth is examined through the lens of conflicting studies. While conventional wisdom holds that healthier populations are wealthier, research by Acemoglu and Johnson suggested that improvements in life expectancy (driven by medical innovations) could initially depress income per head by increasing population faster than output. This Malthusian view is countered by evidence that eradicating specific debilitating diseases, like hookworm and malaria, directly boosts productivity and human capital.

The "middle class" in emerging economies is profiled not as a group of bold entrepreneurs, but as risk-averse individuals seeking stability. Research by Banerjee and Duflo reveals that the emerging middle class is less likely to run businesses than the poor and prioritizes steady salaried employment. Their consumption patterns, such as investing in health and education, distinguish them more than their entrepreneurial zeal, challenging the "bootstrap" narrative of development.

The chapter also delves into the mysteries of savings and investment, noting that while they must equal each other globally, they can diverge significantly within countries. It explores the "life-cycle hypothesis" and other theories to explain why savings rates vary, highlighting the role of demographics, economic growth, and financial development. The text notes a global trend where emerging economies have become major savers, fueling a "savings glut" that funded deficits in the rich world.

Finally, the role of institutions versus policies in sparking growth is debated. While the "Washington Consensus" emphasized broad reforms and property rights, newer research suggests that growth often starts with small, specific policy changes that relax immediate constraints. The chapter argues that "good institutions" like the rule of law are often the outcome of growth rather than its prerequisite, as seen in the case of China and South Korea.

Chapter 3: Macroeconomic Management

This chapter focuses on the tools central banks and governments use to steer economies, beginning with the central bank's monopoly on the supply of bank reserves. It explains how the Federal Reserve influences interest rates through open-market operations, which in turn affect everything from mortgage rates to business investment. This mechanism, once considered the primary lever of economic control, faced unprecedented challenges during the financial crisis.

The crisis forced central banks to move beyond their traditional tool of short-term interest rates, which had hit the "zero lower bound". The text describes the shift to unconventional monetary policy, or "quantitative easing" (QE), where central banks expanded their balance sheets by purchasing government debt and other assets to inject liquidity. This transition marked a departure from the pre-crisis consensus of "one tool, one target" (interest rates and price stability).

Fiscal policy also returned to the spotlight, with a renewed debate over the size of "fiscal multipliers"—the amount of additional economic activity generated by a dollar of government spending. The chapter notes that economists are "flying blind" regarding precise multiplier estimates, which vary based on whether an economy is open or closed and the level of existing debt. This uncertainty complicated the design of stimulus packages during the recession.

The chapter discusses the "Taylor rule," a guideline for setting interest rates based on inflation and the output gap, and how the crisis disrupted such standard operating procedures. It highlights the risk that focusing solely on consumer price inflation allowed asset bubbles to grow unchecked, leading to calls for central banks to explicitly target financial stability in the future.

Taxation is the final pillar of management discussed, with a comparison of how different governments raise revenue. The text examines the trade-offs between direct taxes (on income) and indirect taxes (like VAT), noting that while economists generally favor broad-based consumption taxes for efficiency, political considerations often lead to complex and inefficient tax codes.

Chapter 4: Microeconomics: The Economics of Everything

Chapter 4 illustrates the application of economic principles to non-traditional subjects, starting with the media industry. It challenges the view that media bias is solely a sign of dysfunction, arguing through the Mullainathan-Shleifer model that competition can actually drive newspapers to confirm their readers' biases rather than report neutral facts. This economic perspective suggests that "skewed news" is a rational market outcome where firms cater to consumer preferences for affirmation.

The concept of "two-sided markets" is explored through the credit card industry, where platforms must cater to both merchants and cardholders. The chapter explains why "interchange fees" (charged to merchants) are used to subsidize rewards for cardholders, balancing demand on both sides of the network. It warns that well-intentioned regulations to cap these fees could backfire by upsetting the delicate pricing structure that keeps the platform viable.

Behavioral economics is applied to philanthropy, examining why people give to charity. The text distinguishes between "pure altruism" and "impure altruism" (the warm glow of giving), and introduces "image motivation," where people give to look good to others. Research shows that public recognition drives donations, but financial incentives can sometimes crowd out intrinsic motivation, making people less likely to do good deeds if they are paid for them.

The chapter also looks at game theory in sports, specifically how professionals play "minimax" strategies in penalty kicks and American football. It cites evidence that highly paid athletes, like soccer players and NFL teams, largely adhere to the predictions of mixed-strategy Nash equilibria, randomizing their actions to remain unpredictable to their opponents. This provides rare empirical support for abstract game-theoretic concepts in a high-stakes, real-world setting.

Finally, the chapter touches on the economics of "sin," such as the market for sex work. It demonstrates how economic analysis can explain wage differentials and risk premiums in illicit markets, reinforcing the book's theme that economics is a universal toolkit for understanding human behavior, not just a study of money.

Chapter 5: Before the Storm: The Forces at Work

This chapter sets the scene for the 2008 crisis by examining the period of the "Great Moderation," characterized by low inflation and stable growth. It discusses how this stability bred complacency, leading investors and policymakers to underestimate risks. The integration of emerging markets like China into the global economy played a crucial role, as their massive savings kept global interest rates low.

The "global savings glut," a term popularized by Ben Bernanke, is identified as a key driver of the pre-crisis imbalances. The chapter explains how excess savings from Asia and oil-exporting countries flowed into safe assets in rich countries, particularly US Treasury bonds. This inflow of capital depressed yields, pushing investors to seek higher returns in riskier assets like mortgage-backed securities.

The housing bubble is analyzed not just as a result of irrational exuberance, but as a consequence of these macroeconomic forces. Cheap credit fueled a construction boom and soaring home prices in America, Spain, and Ireland. The text notes that financial innovation, specifically securitization, allowed this credit to be packaged and sold globally, spreading the risk of a US housing downturn throughout the world's financial system.

The chapter also highlights the "decoupling" myth—the belief that emerging economies had become self-sustaining and would remain immune to a slowdown in the West. This theory encouraged continued investment in emerging markets even as storm clouds gathered over the US and Europe, eventually proving false as the crisis became truly global.

Finally, the chapter points to the regulatory failures that allowed leverage to build up in the shadow banking system. It describes how banks moved assets off their balance sheets to avoid capital requirements, creating a fragile system that was highly vulnerable to a loss of confidence.

Chapter 6: The Global Slump

Chapter 6 chronicles the anatomy of the crash, describing it as a "once-in-a-century" event that shattered the golden age of finance. It details how a localized problem in American subprime mortgages triggered a global liquidity crunch. The text explains that the complexity of financial instruments meant that no one knew who held the toxic assets, causing banks to stop lending to one another out of fear.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 is identified as the tipping point that turned a financial distress situation into a full-blown panic. The chapter describes the "run on the shadow banking system," where funding for investment banks and other non-bank financial institutions evaporated overnight. This credit freeze immediately impacted the "real" economy, as businesses found themselves unable to finance daily operations.

The speed and synchronization of the global downturn are emphasized, with trade volumes collapsing faster than during the Great Depression. The chapter notes that the "decoupling" theory was brutally disproven as export-dependent emerging economies saw their markets vanish. The slump spared almost no one, hitting rich and poor countries alike through trade and finance channels.

The text also addresses the human cost, with millions of jobs lost and a sharp rise in poverty. It contrasts the resilience of some social safety nets in Europe with the harsher impact in the US, while noting that the scale of the crisis forced governments everywhere to intervene to prevent a total social breakdown.

Finally, the chapter reflects on the failure of risk management models that underpinned modern finance. It argues that the crisis revealed the "intellectual bankruptcy" of models that assumed continuous liquidity and ignored the possibility of systemic collapse, forcing a complete rethink of how financial risk is measured and regulated.

Chapter 7: Crisis-time Economics

This chapter focuses on the policy response to the meltdown, characterized by the resurgence of Keynesian economics. It describes how governments around the world abandoned fiscal prudence to launch massive stimulus packages aimed at filling the hole left by collapsing private demand. The text highlights the "stimulus vs. austerity" debate, noting that while the US pushed for continued spending, European policymakers were quicker to pivot back to deficit reduction.

The limits of monetary policy are a central theme, as central banks hit the "zero lower bound" on interest rates. The chapter explains the "liquidity trap," a situation where even zero interest rates fail to stimulate borrowing because consumers and businesses are too indebted or fearful to spend. This necessitated the use of "unconventional" tools like quantitative easing to prevent a deflationary spiral.

The chapter also discusses the role of the state as the "insurer of last resort". It details the massive bailouts of banks and insurers (like AIG) deemed "too big to fail," analyzing the moral hazard problems these interventions created. The text argues that while these actions were necessary to prevent a second Great Depression, they left a legacy of public debt and distorted incentives that would take years to unwind.

A significant portion of the chapter is dedicated to the debate over "fiscal space"—the capacity of governments to borrow without triggering a sovereign debt crisis. It contrasts the ability of the US and UK to borrow cheaply despite huge deficits with the plight of peripheral Eurozone countries like Greece, which faced soaring borrowing costs and forced austerity.

The chapter concludes by examining the coordination (and lack thereof) among the G20 nations. While the initial response showed unprecedented global cooperation, the text notes that as the immediate panic subsided, national interests began to diverge, complicating the path to a coordinated global recovery.

Chapter 8: Recovery, Repair and Rebalancing

Chapter 8 assesses the post-crisis landscape, describing a "two-speed recovery" where emerging markets bounced back quickly while the rich world faced a long, sluggish slog. It identifies the "debt overhang" in developed economies as a primary drag on growth, as households and banks focused on deleveraging rather than spending or lending. This process of balance sheet repair is described as historically slow and painful.

The chapter highlights the structural problems exposed by the crisis, particularly in the labor market. It discusses the rise of long-term unemployment in the US and the risk of "hysteresis," where workers lose skills and become permanently unemployable. The text advocates for microeconomic reforms to boost productivity and labor market flexibility as essential for long-term recovery.

Global imbalances remain a critical issue, with the chapter analyzing whether the pre-crisis pattern of "spendthrift America" and "thrifty Asia" can or should return. It argues that a sustainable recovery requires a rebalancing of global demand, with surplus countries like China and Germany consuming more and deficit countries like the US saving more. The difficulties of achieving this political and economic shift are examined in detail.

The threat of protectionism is another key theme, as governments face pressure to "do something" about unemployment. The chapter warns that currency wars and trade barriers would only exacerbate the global slump, recalling the disastrous policies of the 1930s. It notes the tension between domestic political imperatives and the needs of the global trading system.

Finally, the chapter looks at the future of the Eurozone, predicting that the crisis has exposed fundamental flaws in the currency union that will require deeper fiscal integration or risk breakup. It frames the European debt crisis not just as a fiscal problem, but as a crisis of competitiveness and balance of payments within the monetary union.

Chapter 9: The Failings of Economics

This chapter addresses the existential crisis facing the economics discipline itself, responding to the charge that economists failed to predict or prevent the crash. It acknowledges that the "reputation of economics... has taken a beating" and that the "dismal science" was humbled. However, it argues against dismissing the entire field, distinguishing between the useful broad canon of economics and the specific failures of macroeconomics and finance.

The "Efficient Market Hypothesis" (EMH) is singled out for criticism, with the text describing how the belief that asset prices always reflect fundamentals blinded regulators and investors to the bubble. While academic economists had long "poked holes" in the EMH, the chapter argues that these caveats were ignored in the "rough and tumble" of Wall Street, where the theory was used to justify dangerous leverage and complex derivatives.

The chapter describes the "Dark Age of macroeconomics," a term used by Paul Krugman to describe the profession's neglect of Keynesian insights and financial frictions. It details the "Freshwater" (Chicago) vs. "Saltwater" (MIT/Harvard) divide, noting that the crisis forced a convergence as both sides realized their standard models were inadequate for dealing with a systemic banking collapse.

A new path forward is proposed, referencing Andrew Lo's "Adaptive Markets Hypothesis," which blends rational choice with evolutionary biology to explain how market participants learn and adapt. The chapter argues that future models must incorporate the "plumbing" of the financial system—banks, credit, and liquidity—which were dangerously absent from pre-crisis macroeconomic models.

The chapter concludes that while economists cannot predict the future, they have a duty to "reach out from their specialized silos". It calls for a reintegration of finance and macroeconomics, and a more humble approach that acknowledges the limits of mathematical modeling in a complex, human world.

Chapter 10: An Evolving Field

Chapter 10 explores how economics is expanding its boundaries by borrowing from other disciplines. It highlights "neuroeconomics," a field that uses brain scanning to understand decision-making. Research by neuroscientists and economists challenges the notion of the purely rational "Homo economicus," showing that economic decisions are often driven by emotional centers in the brain like the amygdala.

The chapter features the work of George Akerlof and Robert Shiller in their book "Animal Spirits", which revives Keynes's idea that psychological forces—confidence, fairness, and corruption—drive the economy as much as interest rates. They argue that macroeconomics must account for these human frailties to explain why markets boom and bust. This "behavioral" turn is presented as a necessary corrective to the sterile rationality of standard models.

Experimental economics is also profiled, particularly the use of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in development economics. The chapter describes the work of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Laboratory (J-PAL), which tests policies like bednet distribution or teacher incentives in the real world, much like drug trials. This empirical revolution is shifting the field from grand theories to concrete, evidence-based solutions.

The chapter discusses the move away from "physics envy"—the desire to model economics on the immutable laws of physics. Instead, it suggests that economics is becoming more like biology or medicine, a pragmatic discipline focused on diagnosing and treating specific problems in a complex, evolving system.

Finally, the text touches on the study of the "commons" and cooperative behavior, referencing Elinor Ostrom’s Nobel Prize-winning work. It challenges the "tragedy of the commons" narrative, showing that communities can often self-organize to manage shared resources effectively without top-down regulation, broadening the economic understanding of property and governance.

Chapter 11: Emerging Economists

The final chapter profiles the next generation of economists who are reshaping the field. It introduces figures like Raj Chetty, who uses massive datasets to answer public policy questions about tax and education. Chetty’s work on "sufficient statistics" is highlighted as a way to derive policy insights without needing a perfect structural model of the economy.

The chapter discusses Marc Melitz, whose "new, new trade theory" revolutionized international economics by focusing on firm-level heterogeneity. Unlike previous models that treated all firms as identical, Melitz showed how trade liberalization "sifts and sorts" companies, allowing productive ones to thrive while forcing the unproductive to exit. This provided a more granular and realistic view of globalization.

Amy Finkelstein is profiled for her work on asymmetric information in insurance markets. Her research on the UK annuity market demonstrated how "adverse selection" works in practice—people who know they will live longer buy more insurance—and showed how to quantify these hidden information costs using observable data.

Roland Fryer’s work on the economics of race and education is also featured. As a young star at Harvard, Fryer applies economic tools to sensitive social issues, such as the racial achievement gap and the effectiveness of charter schools. His "empirical spadework" is cited as an example of how economics can contribute to solving deep-seated social problems.

The book concludes by noting that these emerging economists share a commitment to empirical rigor and "granular" thinking. Rather than building "castles in the air" with abstract theory, they are grounding the discipline in real-world data, offering hope that the next era of economics will be more practical, humble, and effective than the last.

QGIS and Machine Learning Workshop Organized by LOGIS MAP: The Importance of Spatial Data and Analysis to Create a Sustainable Food System, Agricultural Production, and Ecological Landscape

 

Spatial Data and Analysis are crucial in agricultural production, land use, and Natural Resources Management. I just got a completion certificate on a QGIS workshop from LOGIS MAP LOGIS MAP entitled "QGIS Remote Sensing & Machine Learning for Land Use-Land Cover Analysis: Classification, Change Detection, and Future Projection".

The combination of remote sensing, machine learning, and spatial analysis implementation would create a better and sustainable Agricultural Production and Land Use, along with the sustainability of the environment and ecological landscape.

As a Junior Agricultural Economist and Food Policy Researcher, I hope I could use these skills and competencies to create a better direction, policy, and implementation of the Sustainable Food Systems, both economically and socio-ecologically. Without accurate and credible spatial data, the sustainable food system, sustainable agricultural production, and sustainable ecological landscape will be hard to achieve.

Let's create a Sustainable Food System and Agricultural Production based on a scientifically-approved spatial data and analysis!

Kudos!

"Strategi Induk Pembangunan Pertanian 2015-2045 Pertanian-Bioindustri Berkelanjutan: Solusi Pembangunan Indonesia Masa Depan": Let's Reflect and Recalibrate the Milestones of Our Agricultural and Bio-Industry Development!

I want to share to you guys a document entitled "Strategi Induk Pembangunan Pertanian 2015-2045 Pertanian-Bioindustri Berkelanjutan: Solusi Pembangunan Indonesia Masa Depan" written by the Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture, and this document was special, it's because my bachelor major, Agricultural Engineering SITH ITB, was held a discussion back then in 2015 about how this document would help Indonesia to become a prosperous nation based on its Agricultural and Bio-Industry Development, and one of the writers of this document was my lecturer at SITH ITB, Prof. Robert Manurung. 

After ten years from its publication, it's time to reflect and make an evaluation, how far is the synchronization of the policies from the government and the business condition from the farmers, business owners, and food actors in  these ten years of this document's implementation? How far is the real achievement in the grassroot fields and the macro-environments? Has our country achieved the sustainability of its agricultural and bio-industry development? So, let's reflect and recalibrate the Milestones of Our Agricultural and Bio-Industry Development by reading and recalling this document again. You could read the document below.

"Strategi Induk Pembangunan Pertanian 2015-2045 Pertanian-Bioindustri Berkelanjutan: Solusi Pembangunan Indonesia Masa Depan"

Thank you, everyone. I hope we could build this homework together as a strong nation. Indonesia Digdaya!

"The Coconut Downstreaming Roadmap 2025-2045": A Pathway to Create an Integrated and Sustainable Coconut Industry

I want to share to you guys the materials from an online webinar of the launch of "The Coconut Downstreaming Roadmap 2025-2045" organized by Bappenas. This roadmap is a pathway to create an Integrated and Sustainable Coconut Industry in my beloved country, Indonesia, especially in the main production areas, such as Indragiri Hilir, Riau. So, here are the materials and the recording! Happy learning, and enjoy!

Remarks

 

Session 1

 


 


 


 

Session 2

 

Session 3

 


 


 

The Document: "Coconut Downstreaming Roadmap 2025-2045"

The Recording

 

 

Thank you!

"Measuring and Transforming Indonesia’s Agrifood System: From Rice Dependence to Diversified Growth" Working Paper by LPEM FEB UI

 

Executive Summary

Indonesia’s agrifood system (AFS) has undergone a profound transformation over the past two decades, shaped by structural shifts in production, consumption, and policy. This paper analyzes the evolving structure and growth dynamics of Indonesia’s AFS using Input–Output data and comparative evidence from Bangladesh, Nigeria, and India. Three findings stand out. First, while rice remains politically central, its economic role has stagnated, leaving Indonesia caught in a “rice trap” of high prices, smallholder inefficiency, and heavy fiscal subsidies. Second, emerging drivers of dynamism—plantation crops, livestock, and dairy—demonstrate the growing importance of diversification, private sector investment, and off-farm value chains. Third, the Covid-19 shock revealed both resilience (in maize, roots, palm oil, and processed foods) and vulnerabilities (in rice, livestock, and imports of soybeans and dairy). The analysis shows that Indonesia’s future food security and rural prosperity depend on breaking free from the rice trap, rebalancing subsidies toward high-value crops and off-farm employment, and investing in infrastructure, cold chains, and institutional coordination. The paper concludes by outlining a research agenda for constructing an Indonesia-specific Agrifood System Social Accounting Matrix (AFS-SAM) better to quantify linkages, employment multipliers, and policy trade-offs.

"Measuring and Transforming Indonesia’s Agrifood System: From Rice Dependence to Diversified Growth" Working Paper by LPEM FEB UI

Thank you!

"Launch of the Digital Agriculture Roadmaps (DARs) Playbook and Lessons Learned" Online Webinar Organized by The World Bank, The Gates Foundation, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

 

I just watched a recording of an online webinar entitled "Launch of the Digital Agriculture Roadmaps (DARs) Playbook and Lessons Learned" organized by The World Bank, The Gates Foundation, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). 

I learned about how the DARs Playbook would have a role as a main reference for all countries around the world, especially the Developing Countries, to build their roadmaps on Digital Agriculture. I learned the lessons learned of the implementation in Ethiopia and also the future roadmaps in Kenya. I hope my beloved country, Indonesia, will follow the steps. Here are the summaries and materials from the online webinar. Happy learning!

The Summaries

The webinar “Launch of the Digital Agriculture Roadmaps (DARs) Playbook and Lessons Learned” showcased how the Digital Agriculture Roadmap approach can accelerate agricultural transformation. The event was organized jointly by the World Bank’s Data and Digital Agriculture Team (WB-DDA), the Gates Foundation (GF), and Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Presenters emphasized that while digital holds great promise for driving transformation across the agricultural value chain, uptake and impact has been limited to date due in part to fragmented initiatives, a lack of coordination, and inadequate funding.

DARs – country-led strategy, investment, and implementation plans – can help overcome these challenges and align governments, donors, and private sector actors and funding behind shared priorities.

The DAR approach, through analysis and deep stakeholder engagement, assesses the digital agriculture ecosystem, establishes a country’s vision, prioritizes digital agriculture use cases, and outlines specific, fundable initiatives and a plan to deliver. The approach ensures scarce public and donor resources are directed to solutions with the greatest potential for scale and farmer benefit.

The DAR Playbook was introduced as a practical guide that countries, funders, and development partners can use to design, finance, and implement their own roadmaps, linking policy, investment planning, and implementation support into one integrated process.

Country experiences from Ethiopia and Kenya illustrated how the DAR model is being applied in practice. Ethiopia’s roadmap, which was recently launched and officially adopted by the Ethiopia government, resulted from a comprehensive diagnostic and consultative process that engaged more than 150 actors and now guides investments aimed at reaching up to 30 million farmers and unlocking around US$90 million for digital agriculture. The country is establishing a Project Management Unit to coordinate implementation and to ensure that solutions, such as digital advisory services, data hubs, and climate-smart tools, are scalable, interoperable, and aligned with national policies.

In Kenya, a DAR is being developed building on initiatives like the One Million Farmer Platform, with PMU and partners such as PxD helping structure a roadmap that can support an agriculture sector employing over half the population and contributing roughly one third of GDP.

Across both examples, speakers stressed that digital technologies can boost productivity, strengthen market linkages, and provide real-time information to farmers and pastoralists, but only when embedded in inclusive, well-governed ecosystems.

The DAR Playbook, therefore, puts strong emphasis on public-private collaboration, mobilizing agritech innovators, telecom operators, financial institutions, and civil society alongside government agencies.

A broad consultative process engaging more than 90 organizations in Kenya and similarly wide coalitions in Ethiopia was presented as a key lesson for designing roadmaps that are country-owned, investment-ready, and capable of guiding digital transformation at scale.

  The Presentation Slides

 

The Digital Agriculture Roadmap Playbook

 

Ethiopia's Digital Agriculture Roadmap 2025-2032

The Recording

 

Thank you!

A Beginner Machine Learning Course on Dicoding Indonesia Supported by IDCamp Scholarship

 

Alhamdulillah, on this blessed Friday, I have completed three Basic and Beginner-Level Classes on Dicoding Indonesia Dicoding Indonesia in AI Engineer Pathway, which consist of "Belajar Machine Learning untuk Pemula", "Memulai Pemograman dengan Python", and "Belajar Dasar AI" Classes.

Thank you so much to IDCamp IDCamp Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison for this basic-beginner level scholarship on AI Engineer Pathway, I hope I could continue to the intermediate level. Aamiin..

As a Junior Agricultural Economist and Food Policy Researcher, these skills and competencies would help me to find the best solution for various agricultural problems in my beloved country, Indonesia. I hope I could implement them in the near future.

Cc my junior at Agricultural Engineering SITH ITB, Kresna Kresna Fajri Wicaksana, who has been learning and first implementing these skills and competencies.

Kudos!