Strengthen Food Security, Bayer Supports Central Java Farmers to Increase Corn Crop Yields

Corn harvest in Grobogan and Kendal regencies, Central Java. (Ist)

JAKARTA - Bayer Indonesia (Bayer) has confirmed its long-term commitment to strengthening Indonesia's food security through support for access to high-quality corn seeds and technical assistance to farmers to increase corn production in Central Java, the second largest corn-producing region in Indonesia.

As a tangible manifestation, Bayer together with 800 farmers from various farmer groups, sub-districts, sub-districts, agricultural services and Gapoktan, carried out the harvest of Dekalb DK19C "Beautiful" and DK79C "Strong" hybrid corn varieties in Grobogan and Kendal Regencies, Central Java.

Both Grobogan and Kendal play a strategic role in supporting the national self-sufficiency mission of corn, which is part of food self-sufficiency, one of the priorities in the Asta Cita program of President Prabowo Subianto.

Cluster Lead East Asia & Pakistan Bayer Crop Science, Mateus Barros, said that Indonesia is one of the important agricultural markets in the Asian region. "Corn farmers are at the heart of efforts to increase food production. Access to reliable seed technology and proper cultivation practices is essential to maintain productivity sustainably," said Mateus at the harvest event.

The harvest of the Dekalb DK19C "Beautiful" and DK79C "Strong" varieties in Grobogan and Kendal increased by 15 percent, which spontaneously increased farmers' income by 20 percent per growing season. Meanwhile, in terms of total production, it reached 6-7 tons per hectare, surpassing the national average of 5.93 tons per hectare.

Both varieties were developed to meet different agroecological needs. The Dekalb DK19C "Beautiful" variety was first introduced in late 2024, has a harvest age of around 105 days and is known for its harvest stability. Meanwhile, DK79C "Strong" was launched in the third quarter of 2025, designed for dry land and hilly areas with a harvest age of around 100 days.

In addition to the use of seeds, Bayer also carries out a comprehensive technical assistance program, including cultivation techniques, pest and disease control, to the use of digital agriculture platforms.

Country Commercial Lead Bayer Crop Science Indonesia and Malaysia, Yuchen Li, emphasized that increasing productivity does not only depend on seed varieties alone. "High-quality seeds must be supported by consistent technical assistance, access to information, and better agricultural practices to ensure sustainable productivity," he said.

Bayer's mentoring initiative includes a Better Life Farming ecosystem for small farmers, a research and training center for agriculture in Klaten, Central Java, and the Bayer SOBAT (Friends and Advisors of Farmers) community, which now has more than 1,000 members throughout Indonesia. Farmers also get support through the TANIA (Friends of Indonesian Farmers) digital education platform to share knowledge and discuss directly about farming practices.

H. Zakaria, a corn farmer from Gemuh District, Kendal, admitted that he felt the benefits of the program. He said that his harvest became more stable after participating in the demo plot program and technical assistance from Bayer. "I can see the difference directly in the demo plot. From the way of planting, fertilizing, to pest control. The results are better and consistent," he said.

The same thing was conveyed by Kusnandar, a farmer from Brati District, Grobogan. "It's hard to rely on theory, but when you see the plants growing well in the field, you really believe it," he said.

Along with the continued increase in production, Central Java is expected to remain one of the main pillars of national corn supply in the next few years. The future challenge is not only in increasing yields, but also in the efficiency of production costs and strengthening farmers' resilience to climate change.