ACIAR is bidding farewell to its longest-serving staff member, Indonesia Country Manager Ms Mirah Nuryati, who is retiring after 33 years of service.
Mirah has been a critical bridge between Australia and Indonesia, nurturing people-to-people relationships and contributing significantly to ACIAR's standing as a trusted and long-term partner for agricultural research in Indonesia.
As Indonesian Country Manager, Mirah has provided critical and strategic in-country knowledge and maintained a network of local connections that helped ACIAR fund research partnerships and increase its impact in Indonesia.
ACIAR CEO Professor Wendy Umberger thanked Mirah for her dedication to ACIAR and congratulated her on her retirement.
'I had the privilege of working with Mirah on ACIAR projects in Indonesia for nearly 17 years. I saw firsthand what an invaluable asset she is to the Australian-Indonesian agricultural research partnership.
'Mirah has been an instrumental part of the ACIAR team, and while her departure is a loss for the organisation, I am excited for her and the journey she will embark on next. A very heartfelt thank you, Mirah, for your tremendous contributions and service to ACIAR.'
Mirah joined ACIAR in its Jakarta office as an administration officer in 1991 before becoming Assistant Country Manager in 2002. Mirah then served as Stakeholder Relationship Manager in 2010, progressing to Country Manager in 2015.
In 2007, Mirah was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal for being an outstanding ambassador for the Australia-Indonesia collaboration in agricultural research for development.
During her 33 years with ACIAR, Mirah has helped broker more than 300 agricultural research for development projects, serving under 5 ACIAR CEOs and 8 Australian Ministers for Foreign Affairs.
Reflecting on her career, Mirah said working with ACIAR allowed her to appreciate her home country of Indonesia better.
'I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to accompany Australian colleagues and researchers to meet many smallholder farmers, enjoying their warm hospitality and seeing firsthand how ACIAR initiatives have improved their lives,' said Mirah.
'Travelling to a very remote village in Soe in East Nusa Tenggara Province, sitting cross-legged for hours in a small canoe and enjoying the beautiful scenery surrounding the pristine peatland forest in Central Kalimantan Province, and walking through cow dung and dirt in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, have all been part of the fun.
'Seeing the big smiles on the faces of farmers as they share their joys and gratitude because their crop yields have increased, and their children can now have a better education is just priceless.'
'At the end of the day, what we are doing through ACIAR is about the value of humanity, a learning process across cultures and giving smallholder farmers hope for a better future with their farms.'
As Mirah looks ahead to her retirement, she's excited to embrace new adventures through travel and to reconnect with her love for the great outdoors. Leaving the fast-paced city life behind, she plans to spend more quality time with family and enjoy the peaceful, slower rhythms of rural living.
