BRIN Starts Research On IKN Nusantara, Food Industry And Agricultural Processing In East Kalimantan Highlighted

JAKARTA - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has started to conduct a number of researches in the National Capital (IKN) of the Archipelago of East Kalimantan (Kaltim). One of the highlights is related to food security to agricultural processing.

"BRIN is starting to prepare for studies of the national capital for the preparation of a master plan for the new national capital," said the Acting Director of Environmental, Maritime, Natural Resources and Nuclear Development, Deputy for Development Policy at BRIN Muhammad Abdul Kholiq in a written statement, Thursday, March 31. .

He said several important studies for IKN were related to food security in the new IKN, the food industry and processing of agricultural products in the IKN supporting areas.

"The output target of the Food and Agriculture Focus Group Discussion is expected to produce one policy paper, one policy brief / memo, two international scientific papers, and one national scientific paper," he said, as reported by Antara.

Kholiq said that BRIN is tasked with providing recommendations for the preparation of national development policy plans or the main supporters of science-based policies.

Specifically for food and agriculture, BRIN seeks to build a green economy through "smart farming" and a circular economy for the food and agriculture sectors.

"In building a green economy, we want to ensure a sustainable economy by paying attention to environmental sustainability, a low-carbon economy, new renewable energy and nuclear power," he said.

Through a circular economy, BRIN seeks to reduce the extraction of natural resources and utilize waste or waste into a new economic cycle.

Food and Agriculture Coordinator of the Food and Agriculture Directorate of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Noor Avianto said that based on Presidential Regulation No. 18 of 2020 concerning the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), there are two priorities in the food and agriculture sectors.

The two priorities are programs to increase the availability of access and quality of food consumption as well as programs to increase added value, employment, and investment in the real sector and industrialization.

He said BRIN's support was important in the agenda of modernization and digitalization of agriculture, as well as technological innovation in agricultural cultivation practices that were appropriate to the region and land in increasing food productivity.

Noor said that strengthening food and agricultural substances requires research and innovation results, among others, to carry out disaster resilience and land management, climate-resistant seeds, fertilizers, feed, and pesticides.

The results of this research and innovation are also important to support precision and low-carbon agriculture, food and processed food processing, food derivative products as well as social engineering of farmers and farmer institutions.

"This is important to encourage productivity in terms of technology. We also want to encourage millennial farmers to enter with technology and later be able to replace labor whose quantity is currently decreasing," he said.