Received: 1 October, 2011. Accepted: 1 February, 2013. Research Note The Asian and Australasian Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology ©2013 Global Science Books Challenges to Science Development and International Publishing in Indonesia Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva 1* • Budi Winarto 2 1 Faculty of Agriculture and Graduate School of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Miki-Cho, Ikenobe, 2393, Kagawa-Ken, 761-0795, Japan 2 Indonesian Ornamental Crop Research Institute (IOCRI), Jln. Raya Ciherang, Pacet-Cianjur 43253, West Java, Indonesia Corresponding author: * jaimetex@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The challenges facing the Indonesian scientific research community are likely to be equal or similar to those being faced by many if not most scientists in developing countries. The structural basis for research and publishing in Indonesia provides some valuable clues as to why the challenges are so large and why, despite the will-power to change or to succeed, such efforts might not lead to positive results. In addition to motivational issues at personal and institutional levels, objectives imposed by the Ministry of Education or by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (IIS) tend to strongly influence the direction and eventual outcome of research objectives and also influence scientific output in terms of scientific publications in English or Bahasa Indonesia. Strongly implemented rules regarding research and publishing ethics can conflict strongly with ethical guidelines established for authors in international journals or by international publishers. This paper highlights all these issues within the Indonesian socio-cultural context. Only when we are able to understand the frame-work (social and policy) within which scientists are conducting research in Indonesia and in which they are publishing can advice be given and improvements be made. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: IAARD, IIS, IPB, open access, predatory, SPARD Abbreviations: BAU, Bogor Agricultural University; DGHE, Directorate General of High Education; IAARD, Indonesian Agency for Agriculture Research and Development; ICISFRI, Indonesian Citrus and Subtropical Fruits Research Institute; IIS, Indonesian Institute of Sciences; IOCRI, Indonesian Ornamental Crop Research Institute; IPB, Institute of Plant Biotechnology; ME, Ministry of Education; OA, open access; SPARD, Strategic Plans of Agriculture Research and Development INTRODUCTION Indonesia is a richly diverse country with a multicultural society, and is the fourth most populous country in the world; it also listed as the world’s 15 th /16th strongest economy (Wikipedia 1), although its rank in science is much, much lower, at 64 (based on 1996-2010 data) (SJR 2012), and one of the world’s poorest science performers (www.realonlinedegrees.com), leading thus to the Indo- nesian Government wanting to cover this gap between these statistics as quickly and efficiently as possible. Based on the Strategic Plans of Agriculture Research and Development (SPARD) 2010-2014 it is clearly stated that the Indonesian Agency for Agriculture Research and Development (IAARD) and all research commodity institutes under the IAARD have a vision to be world class research institutes (SPARD 2010). Until now, the IAARD was established and published 300 innovative technologies such as new superior varieties, seed production, agronomy, pest-disease control, post harvest, agro-ecological zone map, integrated-plant calendar, etc. that were ready to be used in commercial scales for improving income and welfare of agriculture business stakeholders (Three-Hundred (300) Innovative Technologies of Agriculture Research and Development, 2012). However, based on www.scimagojr.com, Internatio- nal publications from Indonesian scientists until 2010 was only ± 2000 papers and lower than Malaysia (> 14,000 papers), Singapore (± 14,000 papers) and Thailand (± 9000 papers) (Fig. 1). This is a pity because so many research activities have been carried out by all commodity research institutes under IAARD, the Indonesian Institute of Scien- ces (IIS), and universities; however, the number of interna- tional publications is imbalance with respect to research activities. Another important fact is that, until 2012, Indo- nesia only had 9 international journals (Table 1) (Kopertis 2012). Of interest, Indonesia is the world’s largest palm oil, cinnamon and clove, it has the largest area of permanent crops, the largest Muslim population and the best men’s badminton team (Wikipedia 2). It has a high corruption score and a modest democracy rank (Worldaudit.org 2012). As you traverse the country, from city to country side, it is not hard to see the massive challenges facing this country in terms of structural improvement, social development or achieving scientific excellence worthy of international recognition and appraisal. Often the personal desire for success, based strongly on a religio-cultural influence and desire and quest to be a better person, can meet a dead-end ® Fig. 1 Status of Indonesian International Publications compared to Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Source: www.scimagojr.com (©SCImago Research Group).