Rural Research and Planning Group (RRPG)

Rural Research and Planning Group (RRPG) is an international platform for meeting and networking among those specialists or experts and practitioners in the field of rural development and planning to discuss, exchange of experience, research finding and ideas, plan and organize activities for mutual benefit. It is based on volunteerism on the same interest on rural topic research, and development planning practices.

polite notice: this is not the official logo for RRPG

In the first time RRPG was initiated in 2009 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Ngah (now a Professor) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Prof. Dr. David Preston, Oxford University United Kingdom, Dr Imam Buchori and Holi Bina Wijaya from Diponegoro University, Semarang Indonesia.

So far, RRPG had been conducted 3 series of meetings and international workshops. The first meeting and workshop was held in UTM, Johor Malaysia on 4-5th October 2010. It focused on the theme "One Village One Product, OVOP" which include discussion on the concept and experiences of implementations of OVOP and other similar or related concepts such as economic and industrial cluster in rural setting. The Meeting was continued with field visit of SME and tourism homestay in Johor. The 1st meeting has been successful in encouraging the knowledge and experience shares, and the establishment of a RRPG network.

The second meeting and workshop was held in Semarang, Indonesia on 19-20 September 2011. The theme of this second workshop is "Rural, Local Economic and SME Cluster Development". It is a continuation program activity of the RRPG. This second workshop is carried out by the Urban and Regional Planning Department of Diponegoro University in Semarang, Indonesia. It consists of a day international workshop and networking meeting in UNDIP campus, Semarang followed by a day field visit to tourism SME cluster surrounding Borobudur temple area, Magelang.

Meanwhile, the 3rd RRPG meeting and workshop was held in USM, Penang Malaysia on 1-2rd October 2012 with topic of "Cluster Development in Benefiting the Local and Regional Societies and Economies" was selected. During the first day of the meeting, a total of 15 research papers from various components of rural economic and cluster development have been presented and discussed. Second day of the meeting and workshop was a field visit to the SME park (food production) and homestay in Seberang Prai, Penang.

With consensus among RRPG's participants during the 3rd network meeting (in USM), the 4th RRPG meeting and workshop will be hosted by Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) with co-organiser, the Bandung Islamic University (UIB), Indonesia. This meeting will be held on 11 September 2013 (2 days event). The themes agreed for this coming meeting and workshop is Rural Transformation and Institutional Development.

New participants of institutions and individuals are welcome to joint and participate in RRPG network.

Original text by: 

Holi Bina Wijaya, UNDIP (Sept. 2011)

Edited and updated by:

KKamarudin, UTMRazak School (Jan. 2013; March 23rd 2013)

You are now can browse and/or download the full version of 2nd RRPG research papers (proceeding): Rural, Local Economic and SME Cluster Development (click title).

You can also view my travelblog regarding the 3rd RRP meeting and field visit which was held in USM Penang (1-2rd October 2012): "Catatan Perjalanan: RRPG 2012, USM Penang"