Coordinating Minister Airlangga: The Government Wants Productivity In The Agricultural Sector To Increase

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the government wants the productivity of the agricultural sector to increase to support food security programs.

"Currently, the productivity of rice yields per hectare is still quite low," said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga at the start of the Java 2023 National Food Inflation Control Movement (GNPIP), in Purwakarta, West Java, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, April 5.

He said, this year for one hectare of rice fields only produces about 5 tons of rice. Whereas the results should be above 5 tons.

"For 10 million hectares of rice fields in Indonesia, the calculation produces 5 tons of unhulled rice per hectare," he said.

It was stated that the government wanted to increase productivity from rice fields. However, bad weather and prolonged rain are still obstacles to increasing productivity.

According to him, next year Indonesia is predicted to be hit by drought, and that is a challenge for farmers.

For this reason, the government has made technological innovations in order to increase food yields, namely by smart irrigation and smart farming.

The hope is that the two innovations can increase the harvest, such as unhulled rice to more than 5 tons per hectare.

This year, he said, the government also allocated funds for food security amounting to IDR 104.2 trillion. The provision of large funds for food security is due to the main concern of the government.

Meanwhile, this year, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Bank Indonesia (BI) and a number of other related parties have again launched the National Food Inflation Control Movement (GNPIP).

The start of the program with the theme Synergy and Innovation for National Food Security Through Digitalization and Downstream Agriculture in Java: Gemah Ripah Loh Jinawi was carried out in Purwakarta, at Taman Maya Datar, Office Complex of the Purwakarta Secretariat, Wednesday.

In addition to the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and the Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Perry Warjiyo, the agenda, which is concurrently with the Purwakarta Cheap Market Operation, was also seen by a number of officials such as, Deputy Governor of West Java Uu Ruzhanul Ulum, ranks of Commission XI DPR RI, Chairman of the DPRD and West Java Forkopimda, Regent of Purwakarta and a number of other regional heads.