Agricultural Articles

Increasing Food Production, Ministry of Agriculture’s TIU Cooperates with BI of South Sulawesi to Assist Association of Farmers Groups in Efforts to Increase Production

21 May 2024

Gowa - To support the National Movement for Food Inflation Control (NMFIC), the South Sulawesi Representative Office of Bank Indonesia (BI) is continuing to assist the farmers to provide food supply for the community through various planned programs.

One of the things that has been done is through the rice harvest which is carried out by the Harapan Jaya Farmers Group Association, in Kalamandalle Village, West Bajeng District. This Farmer Groups Association, or known as Gapoktan, is also one of the fostered by the South Sulawesi Representative Office of BI.

“March and April we are predicting that there will be a big harvest, so we expect that the price of rice, which is currently increasing, will decrease. This will be good news for the upcoming holidays,” said Head of South Sulawesi Representative Office of BI, Rizki Ernadi Wimanda, after conducting rice harvest, Tuesday, (26/03/2024).

The area of the field that will be harvested by Gapoktan Harapan Jaya for the initial stage is 20 hectares (Ha) from a total field area of around 220 Ha. The harvesting process will also be carried out in phases, including in other sub-districts.

Rizki admitted that the commodity of rice has a very important role in food security and inflation in South Sulawesi Province. The agricultural sector in South Sulawesi Province has the highest proportion among other business fields, at 21.7%.

Rizki said that the government's policy in regulating the supply and price of rice is very important to keep food security and to keep inflation under control.

“However, we are optimistic that with this big harvest, the increase in rice prices can be controlled. Especially as we approach Eid al-Fitr this year,” he said.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman continuously oversee all regions in Indonesia to supervise the big harvest in the year 2024. According to the Minister, the big harvest activity will strengthen the nation's food position for the next several months.

In overseeing the increase of food production in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture continuously gives assistance and help to the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture through National Agricultural Training Center of Batangkaluku routinely organizes capacity building for counselors and farmers in the work area.

Integrated cropping management (ICM) continues to be intensified, starting from the use of new and high quality varieties, the application of organic materials, the use of biological fertilizers, to proper harvest and post-harvest handling.

One of the efforts to increase national food production carried out by Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman is the Expansion of Planting Areas (PAT) through pumping.

In line with this, pumping is a quick solution in dealing with El Niño in several regions.

Later, this pumping system will be integrated with a service package of diesel fuel, agricultural tools and machinery, and free seeds for farmers who want to accelerate planting in the second planting period in March 2024.

In the same place, Fajaruddin, Head of the Department of Food Crops, Horticulture and Plantation of Gowa Regency, revealed that currently Gowa Regency has around 32,900 hectares of raw rice fields, while specifically in West Bajeng District it has an area of 1,500 hectares.

“Bajeng District and West Bajeng District are potential areas for rice plantation. Especially in West Bajeng District and Kalemandalle Village, we have around 199 hectares that are ready for big harvest starting today,” Fajar said.

He continued, the agricultural sector is still the main pillar of economic growth in Gowa Regency.

Not only that, the growth of rice production has also increased every year despite El-Nino conditions.
“In Gowa Regency, we have about 3,900 farmer groups that are ready to ensure food security in South Sulawesi Province, especially in Gowa Regency,” he said.

(Red/*)
celebesindo.com