Deputy Minister Sudaryono: Australia's Expert Support For Food Self-Sufficiency

Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono emphasized the importance of supporting Australia's expertise to bring the latest best practices and technologies to realize food self-sufficiency in Indonesia in a sustainable manner.

"This collaboration will bring the best practices and the latest technology from Australia to Indonesia. We are committed to utilizing all available resources to achieve food self-sufficiency goals, and support from Australia is very important in this business," said Sudaryono as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, September 26.

Sudaryono has met with Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams at the Head Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Jakarta.

He conveyed the importance of intensification and extensification of agricultural land as part of a food self-sufficiency strategy.

With more than 2 million hectares of swampland in Indonesia, Wamenan proposed optimizing swampland with the support of expertise from Australia.

Sudaryono revealed that one of the Ministry of Agriculture's programs to increase production is rice fields printing.

This program is a real solution in maintaining national food security amidst the increasing population of Indonesia.

Australia, continued the man who is familiarly called Mas Dar, has a strategic position in cooperation with Indonesia, Australia is committed to continuing to support programs aimed at improving food security and nutrition for the Indonesian people.

"Australia is a strategic country for Indonesia, both in terms of its functions, roles, and geographical location. With this support, it is hoped that relations between the two countries will be more productive and sustainable in the agricultural sector," he said.

The Australian government has expressed its commitment to collaborating with Indonesia through the Ministry of Agriculture in the new rice fields printing program.

The program aims to increase food production and achieve food self-sufficiency in Indonesia.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Penny Williams, expressed her support after a meeting with the Indonesian Deputy Minister Sudaryono, where the two parties discussed the potential for cooperation in developing agricultural land, especially swampland which has great potential to be optimized.

"Farming is a very important basis for relations between Australia and Indonesia. We want to continue working together on this priority in the coming years," said Penny.

Penny said Australia would provide support in terms of agricultural technology, training, and research to ensure the success of the rice fields printing program, especially in swampland that is being intensively carried out by Indonesia.

"We have strong research collaborations, and we are committed to continuing to improve this relationship through research that focuses on food security, climate change and its impact on agriculture," he explained.

This collaboration will not only increase food production, but will also focus on providing free nutritious food that is being prepared by the elected President Prabowo Subianto.

"We will also collaborate on the provision of nutritious food, especially for pregnant women," said Penny.