Deputy Minister Sudaryono Expressed That Extensionrs Became The Front Guard Of Bina-Dampingi Farmers

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono emphasized the important role of agricultural instructors as the frontline that assists and fosters farmers in order to be able to increase productivity, welfare, and realize sustainable food independence in Indonesia.

"Restigators are the vanguards who accompany farmers every day, foster, and listen to their complaints," said Sudaryono as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, October 3.

The man who is familiarly called Mas Dar stated that extension workers play an important role in realizing national food self-sufficiency, which is President Prabowo's priority program.

"It doesn't mean that officials at the center are not excellent if agricultural instructors. All productivity, all agricultural achievements to this day are the fruit of the hard work of extension workers in the field," he said.

Mas Dar invites all agricultural instructors to continue to be at the forefront of maintaining food productivity.

Sometimes extension workers receive a burden of complaints that they can't always solve. But that's where their service lies. And the government is here to give full support," he said.

He explained that extension workers are now a direct part of the central government, with clear tasks and targets. Each extensioner has measurable performance indicators (KPI), ranging from increasing productivity, planting indexes, to harvest projections.

"Residents are productivity driving motors. They must have a clear performance measure, and we have determined that. Their task is the same as before, it's just that now the path is directly under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture," he said.

In addition to representatives of East Java as the host, Jambore was also attended by millennial extension workers and farmers from various provinces. This momentum is a place for equating national perceptions that extension workers are not just companions, but determine the direction of Indonesian agriculture.

"With this Jambore, we want to emphasize that agricultural instructors are food heroes, and millennial farmers are the nation's new energy. Both must go together so that Indonesia is independent, modern, and sovereign in food," he said.

Sementara itu, Kepala Badan Sumber Daya Manusia (SDM) Pertanian Kementan Idha Widi Arsanti menambahkan, Jambore itu menjadi momentum penting untuk memperkuat peran penyuluh dan petani milenial dalam pembangunan pertanian.

“Penyuluh adalah guru sekaligus sahabat bagi petani. Sementara petani milenial adalah motor penggerak inovasi. Jika keduanya bersatu, pertanian Indonesia akan melesat lebih cepat menuju swasembada pangan,” ujar Idha.

Dia menambahkan, Kementerian Pertanian terus berkomitmen memperkuat kapasitas SDM pertanian melalui berbagai pelatihan, peningkatan kompetensi, serta penyediaan sarana pendukung agar penyuluh semakin profesional dan petani milenial semakin berdaya saing.

“Melalui kegiatan ini kita harapkan penyuluh dan petani semakin semangat dan bersama bergerak di lapangan wujudkan swasembada pangan Indonesia,” kata Idha.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Agricultural Human Resources Agency (HR) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Idha Widi Arsanti, added that Jambore is an important momentum to strengthen the role of millennial extension workers and farmers in agricultural development.

Complaints are teachers as well as friends to farmers. Meanwhile, millennial farmers are the driving force for innovation. If the two unite, Indonesian agriculture will accelerate faster towards food self-sufficiency," said Idha.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to be committed to strengthening the capacity of agricultural human resources through various trainings, increasing competence, and providing supporting facilities so that extension workers are more professional and millennial farmers are more competitive.

"Through this activity, we hope that extension workers and farmers will be more enthusiastic and work together in the field to realize Indonesian food self-sufficiency," said Idha.