Reasoning Through the Land, Reading the Signs of the Times
By: Ali Aminulloh
The dynamic of thought at Ma’had Al-Zaytun seems never to run out of fuel. This educational institution consistently oversees the direction of the nation’s future through a series of Student Trainings, which have now entered their 45th session.
Carrying the crucial overarching theme, *”Revolutionary Transformation of Boarding School Education Towards a Modern Indonesia in the 21st Century and 100 Years of Indonesian Independence,”* this forum once again became a melting pot for the birth of fresh ideas.
In this 45th session, the atmosphere in the meeting room felt different. Al-Zaytun presented a senior academic known for his straightforward, humorous manner, yet rich in field experience: Prof. Dr. Ir. Zulkifli Nasution, M.Sc, Ph.D., a Professor from the University of North Sumatra (USU). Before more than 2,700 participants, consisting of foundation administrators, lecturers, teachers, students, pupils, educational support units, farmers, and guardians of students who listened solemnly, this man of Batak descent delivered a profound thought entitled *”Land, Land, and Sustainable Learning.”*
However, that afternoon the Professor didn’t come to spoon-feed the audience with sweet words. He came to bring “bitter medicine” in the form of scientific and field realities that are often overlooked in our policy spaces.
The Warmth of a Rotating Podium
“Yesterday, I was ordered to have a rotating podium. Since it rotates, I tried to rotate too. This is quite enjoyable, so those at the back feel respected,” joked Prof. Zulkifli as he opened his presentation, breaking the tense atmosphere of the seminar room with laughter from the audience.
That warmth quickly transformed into an eye-opening academic lecture. Prof. Zulkifli immediately invited the audience to look at the ground beneath them. He challenged the outdated narrative that Indonesian soil is a “heavenly land,” a place where sticks and stones can magically transform into plants, as sung by Koes Plus.
“Is Indonesian soil fertile?” he asked rhetorically.
Prof. Zulkifli then debunked this myth through an objective scientific approach. He explained that soil in tropical regions with high rainfall like Indonesia actually experiences rapid nutrient leaching. Essential elements dissolve and break down into the lower layers of the soil, far beyond the effective depth of plant roots. As a result, our soil is naturally marginal.
So, how do we address the challenge of food security on this marginal land? The key, according to Zulkifli, lies in data, classification, and land evaluation using a precise mathematical approach, not just guesswork or gut feeling.
He criticized outdated survey methodologies that are still often adopted for their cheapness and ease, despite their low accuracy. Based on his experience studying directly with Professor Sys, the creator of the renowned Belgian Land Evaluation method, each commodity has completely different ecological parameters. Even the same rice species (Oryza sativa) requires contrasting management when grown on rain-fed, irrigated, or terraced land.
This lack of synchronization in land use planning in the past is considered a logical reason why Indonesia today is often trapped in a dependence on food imports. However, amid these concerns, Zulkifli expressed high appreciation for Al-Zaytun’s concrete steps, which have succeeded in building self-sufficient food security within a matter of months, an achievement he believes has achieved international recognition.
Selling Oxygen and the Future of the Carbon Economy
Prof. Zulkifli’s presentation culminated in a vision for the future of the world: a Green Economy and a Blue Economy. In this context, he heaped special praise on the visionary steps of Sheikh Al-Zaytun, Abdussalam Panji Gumilang, who chose not to cut down and sell teakwood in his area, but instead “sell” the purity of the air.
“I don’t know if the Sheikh has read this theory or not, but if he hasn’t, that’s inspiration,” said Zulkifli, amazed.
He corrected the public misconception that carbon trading is the practice of “selling wind.” “It’s not the wind that’s being sold, but the certificate,” he emphasized. The international certificate is issued by a reputable institution after rigorous calculations of the volume of standing trees and the oxygen supply they produce.
Zulkifli, also a seasoned practitioner in coastal restoration, shared his success story of implementing bioengineering in South Nias after the tsunami. On dead coral reefs, through diligent hydrological analysis, his team successfully revived more than 200 hectares of mangrove forest, now recognized internationally.
For the Professor, Indonesia’s true future lies in its marine areas, which cover 75 percent of the country’s total area. Coastal communities must begin to be empowered through this scheme Blue Carbon*, where environmental compensation funds from global industrial giants can flow directly to preserve nature while improving the welfare of local residents.
Q&A Session: Thinking Brains and Criticism of “Foremen vs. Coolies”
Following the dense scientific presentation, the forum atmosphere became more dynamic as it entered the discussion and question-and-answer session. A critical concern came from Ataya Fikri Rizkulloh Situmpul, a 9th-grade student at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Al-Zaytun.
Ataya highlighted the phenomenon of many young Indonesian graduates choosing careers in foreign corporations rather than developing innovations at home, a cycle he believes is trapping Indonesia as a consumerist developing nation.
In response, Prof. Zulkifli’s answer flowed with honesty and diplomatic fluff.
“Why do people go to foreign companies? Because the lure of more money. Realistic, right?” he said, while also telling the story of his own son, a Belfast graduate.
For Zulkifli, demanding that a fresh graduate immediately produce independent, capital-intensive innovations is an illusion. He then cited the second basic principle of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): address hunger first, so you can think clearly. “You have to remember, if you are hungry, you are angry,” he remarked.
However, it was from here that Prof. Zulkifli drew attention to the more systemic root of the problem in our higher education system. He sharply criticized the Gross Enrollment Rate (APK) policy, which forces universities to increase student quotas to meet formal targets, without adequate laboratory infrastructure.
Shortcuts are often taken by opening the floodgates to social science departments with minimal operational costs. A move he believes creates a fatal imbalance in the national workforce structure.
“I just calculated it briefly; the ratio is roughly 1 to 40. What does that mean? We produce one laborer for every 40 foremen. The answer is bitter, isn’t it? But that’s the reality on the ground,” the former vice-chancellor stated, troubled.
Without strengthening the hard sciences, engineering, and mathematics (*STEM*), universities are considered to produce only legal commentators skilled at blaming, not creators capable of igniting new energy for the nation.
Written Legacy
That afternoon, the 45th training session concluded with a humanistic reflection on the meaning of existence. Zulkifli reminded us why Western civilization so values its thinkers: because they preserve ideas through writing and historical documentation. Humans have limited memory, and the best way to make a thought immortal is to engrave it in writing.
“Value humans, no matter how small, because they make a great contribution to nature,” concluded Prof. Zulkifli before stepping down from the podium.
This Didik training at Al-Zaytun went beyond simply leaving grandiose theories on paper. Through glimpses of the Professor’s bitter and sweet experiences, students are made aware that the transformation towards a modern Indonesia in the 21st century requires a solid combination: precise mathematical reasoning, honesty in interpreting data, and the courage to take concrete action to protect the earth we live on.**
Indonesia, May 18, 2026
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