Observer: NTT Must Take Advantage Of The Food Self-Sufficiency Support Dam

Illustration (Photo: Doc Antara)

JAKARTA - Agricultural observer from the University of Nusa Cendana (Undana) Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Leta Rafael Levis said the local government is obliged to use the dams that have been built by the Jokowi government to support food self-sufficiency.

"For NTT, local governments are obliged to use the dams that have been built by the Jokowi government and other irrigation facilities to support and achieve food self-sufficiency in NTT," said Leta Rafael Levis as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 23.

He stated that this was related to what the local government in the island-based province had to do to support President Prabowo's government's plan to achieve food self-sufficiency.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believes that Indonesia can realize food self-sufficiency or independence in meeting food needs for its people no later than 4 to 5 years.

According to him, the Jokowi government has built large dams equipped with irrigation, both on the island of Flores and Timor Island by spending trillions of rupiah.

"So, we just need to use the optimal method to support the agricultural sector," he said.

In addition to utilizing available dams and irrigation, there are nine districts in NTT that are the centers for corn production in NTT as well as other plant potentials.

The nine districts that are the centers for corn production are Belu, South Central Timor, East Sumba, Kupang Regency, West Sumba, Sikka, Nagekeo and East Manggarai.

"If the dam and irrigation facilities and corn production centers can be optimized, then within the next three or four years NTT will be able to self-sufficiency in food", he said.