Acting Governor Of South Sulawesi Explains Strategy To Overcome Poverty: I First Injected Through The Banana Cultivation Program

Acting Governor of South Sulawesi Bahtiar Baharuddin gave a speech at the National Coordination Meeting of Baznas throughout South Sulawesi in Makassar, Wednesday, (1)/11/2023).ANTARA/HO-Humas South Sulawesi Provincial Government

Acting Governor of South Sulawesi Bahtiar Bahharuddin, explained the strategy for solutions to poverty in South Sulawesi, at the Regional Coordination Meeting (Rakorda) of the National Zakat Amal Agency (Baznas) throughout South Sulawesi.

Acting Governor Bahtiar assessed that poverty is very difficult to solve if only with social assistance schemes or the like. Poverty and stunting must be resolved by increasing people's income in all regions in South Sulawesi.

"But I try to make this the most vulnerable people economically, I will inject it first through the banana cultivation program," said Acting Governor of South Sulawesi in Makassar as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, November 1.

The concept of agriculture is considered difficult, if it is just planting for consumption. However, it must have a large concept of reaching 500,000 hectares of unproductive land, specifically for banana cultivation.

If that works, said Bahtiar, the South Sulawesi Provincial Government will become the world's largest banana-producing area, beating Thailand as the world's largest banana producer today.

"That's why if there is an agricultural concept, it must be on a large scale. If it is small, it will not change anything. But if we are large or mass, it will be big," he said.

The banana cultivation is not only economically promising, continued Bahtiar, it is also easy for the community to cultivate, because it is a cultural plant for the people of South Sulawesi. Per one hectare of land, it can produce up to Rp100 million more per year.

This is a way to reduce poverty and stunting in South Sulawesi. According to him, stunting does not occur because they do not want to eat fish, eggs, meat and vegetables, but because people cannot afford it.

For this reason, the cavendish banana plant for the agricultural sector uses tissue culture techniques. Then the livestock sector, livestock development through Artificial Insination (IB).

"Actually, we all have a lot of experts in agriculture, but we only understand the small part of the commodity and cannot turn it into money. From the livestock, cattle, horses and buffalo sectors we develop through Artificial Insemination (IB)," he explained.

"From the agricultural sector, we use tissue culture through this banana bonggol. One bonggol can be 15 -20 banana cubs. That's faster than us planting only one tree. The fisheries sector, we have a cage system, fish houses or clumps and artificial coral reef manufacturing," he continued.

To support these programs, Acting Governor of South Sulawesi together with the Head of OJK Sulumpua and banks, provide convenience for the community to obtain People's Business Credit (KUR) in five banks. Namely BNI, BRI, BSI, Mandiri, and Bank Sulselbar.

"This is our program to help in terms of capital, markets and the certainty of prices. Now the OJK has helped us provide assistance through KUR in five banks," he concluded.