Masters Four Foreign Languages, Have Visited 45 Countries
IPB University should be proud because one of its alumni has succeeded in achieving an important position in the international organization of the United Nations (UN), namely as Deputy Head of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) or the Food and Agriculture Organization for the African Continent. His name is Dr. Ir. Yurdi Yasmi, M.Sc., PhD.
Yurdi started his education at the Faculty of Forestry, IPB University in 1993 and graduated in 1997. Apart from formal education, he also actively participated in several social and campus activities. Therefore, Yurdi was named a National Exemplary Student in 1997 and participated in the ASEAN Social Forestry Student Association (AFSA).
After completing his studies, he worked at the CIFOR Bogor International Forestry Research Institute. This is where his brilliant career began. Yurdi himself comes from Tanjung Jati Payakumbuh, West Sumatra (West Sumatra). Since his enrollment in junior high school in 1989, he had become an exemplary student representing West Sumatra at the national level and had the opportunity to visit the State Palace in commemoration of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence Day.
He got a golden opportunity in 1992. When he was still in high school, Yurdi was selected as one of the youth exchange students through the AFS program and lived in Sydney, Australia for 1 year.
Prior to his career at the United Nations, Yurdi had worked for leading international institutions in the forestry and environment fields. At the age of 35, he has become the youngest Director of Research and Development in the history of RECOFTC – the Center for People and Forests based in Bangkok with assignments in the Asia and Africa Regions.
Remarkably, this man who has a hobby of traveling has managed to master several languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, and Thai. With his hobby of traveling, he has visited 45 countries on four continents.
Yurdi lived in the Netherlands for seven years with his family, from 2000 to 2007. He also lived there to complete his master's degree in Tropical Forestry and graduated cum laude. Then he continued his doctoral education and graduated in 2007 majoring in Forest Governance.
At Wagenigen Universiteit en Researchcentrum, Yurdi also devoted himself to working as a researcher and a coordinator for courses on handling forestry and environmental conflicts.
With his great track record in the international world, Yurdi finally managed to become an expert for the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, the Forestry Investment Program at the World Bank, the International Tropical Timber Organization.
With this brilliant career, he also actively participated in several organizations. Among them, he was Chair of the Dutch Indonesian Student Association (PPI) in 2004-2005, Director of the ASEAN Forestry Student Association (AFSA). In 1995-1996, he joined the Indonesian Scientists Association, and became Indonesian Vice President of the Indonesian Diaspora Network, President of the Indonesian Diaspora in Thailand. According to Yurdi, organizational experience is very important and useful in the world of work.
In 2016, Yurdi was appointed by his tribe of Caniago as penghulu, and was given the title of Dt. Patiah. Prior to joining FAO, he was Director of IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) for Southeast Asia. He has also served as the FAO's Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Region in Bangkok. He has also served as ICRAF Program Coordinator for the Mekong Region in Hanoi.
