Indonesia : 4 strategies of the Ministry of Agriculture to Maximize Agricultural Sector Production
Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo shared his optimism about the development of agriculture in Indonesia. He outlined the government's four strategies to maximize production in the Indonesian agricultural sector.
First, extensification of swamps. In light of the advice from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) about the striking drought threat in the future, the Indonesian government will optimize the land that contains water, which is swamp. Indonesia has swamps area almost everywhere; to name a few such as in Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, South Sumatera, or in Bangka Belitung.
Second, organizing local food supply. The plan is to promote substitutes for rice as staple foods. There are many staple food substitutions in various regions in Indonesia, such as taro, cassava, corn, potatoes, bananas, sago, ‘porang’ and sorghum.
More on the local supply, the Indonesian government promotes the strengthening of employing the yard for small food garden program in every houses. The garden could produce diverse crops with different harvesting time, such as 20 days harvested crops such as spinach, 1 month crops, 2 months crops, or crops to be harvested every 3 months, for example chilies and tomatoes.
Third, building food granaries at each regional level, starting from villages, sub-districts, regencies and provinces. If the food shortage does happen or a bit worrying or less dynamic, the food barn will help ensuring the supply for the people.
Fourth, developing food estates in several places in the country with modern farming approach or smart agriculture and the installment of green houses. Hopefully it will encourage the millennial generation too to work in the modern agricultural sector