Minister of Agriculture Amran Accompanies Prabowo on Working Visit to Merauke to Accelerate Food Self-Sufficiency

MERAUKE - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman accompanied President Prabowo Subianto to visit Telagasari Village, Kurik District, Sunday, November 3.

This visit shows the government's commitment to accelerating sustainable food self-sufficiency.

Merauke itself is projected as one of the locations for the development of the Food Production Center Area in eastern Indonesia and is encouraged to be able to meet national food needs.

On this occasion, President Prabowo appreciated the role of Papuan youth in modern agriculture in Merauke.

Young people are expected to be pioneers of innovation and the use of technology in farming, while maintaining ecological balance according to local traditions.

President Prabowo's first visit was warmly welcomed by thousands of local people.

In addition to local residents of Kurik District, students and millennial farmers, food brigades, and local agricultural extension workers were also present.

Minister of Agriculture Amran stated that Merauke has great potential as a food barn with a modern agricultural concept.

"The strategic steps to achieve food self-sufficiency according to President Prabowo's direction will be implemented through several programs, namely printing rice fields covering 3 million hectares within 3-4 years, pumping, land optimization, rehabilitation of tertiary irrigation networks, and support for agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan) to accelerate the planting process to harvest," said Minister of Agriculture Amran.

In 2024, the government has completed the first phase of the 40,000-hectare Swamp Land Optimization program in Merauke Regency.

Currently, 35,000 hectares have been planted, and another 5,000 hectares are in the process of land cultivation to be planted soon.

"This program is targeted to increase the Planting Index (IP) to reach IP 300 and food crop productivity," he continued.

The next strategic plan is to implement a 1 million hectare rice field printing program in stages in Merauke Regency, starting with a demonstration plot in the Food Production Center Area covering 20 hectares in Wanam District as a model.

"This demonstration plot serves as a pilot project for farmers in Wanam District to increase their agricultural productivity," continued Minister of Agriculture Amran.

Minister of Agriculture Amran emphasized that agricultural modernization in Merauke Regency is the key to realizing food self-sufficiency.

"Large-scale agriculture such as in Merauke requires agricultural machinery such as tractors, rice transplanters, water pumps, and combine harvesters to increase efficiency and yields," he said.

As a concrete step, the government has provided assistance in the form of 65 units of 2-wheeled tractors, 113 units of 4-wheeled tractors, 76 units of rice transplanters, 638 units of water pumps, 20 units of combine harvesters, and 90 units of Handsprayer managed by 214 food brigades.

"Food self-sufficiency not only increases production, but also aims to improve the welfare of farmers and create new jobs for the Papuan people," concluded Minister of Agriculture Amran.