Ministry Of Education And Technology Encourages Intensification Based On Organic Research To Boost Food Production

Acting Director General of Research and Development (Dirjen Risbang) Fauzan Adziman (center)ANTARA/HO-Kemdiktisaintek RI

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) stated that it is ready to support the achievement of national food security, as stated in Asta Cita Presiden-Vice President Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Acting Director General of Research and Development (Dirjen Risbang), Fauzan Adziman highlighted several important Indonesian food commodities, the fulfillment of supply still depends on imports.

"We have met with more than 25 experts from universities to discuss strategies that can be developed. So far, the important strategy number one is superior seeds," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, January 4.

Fauzan assessed that the development of superior seeds in Indonesia is still very limited and still large depending on imported seeds. For this reason, it is necessary to encourage research and innovation to produce superior seeds for various important food commodities.

The next strategy, he said, is intensification, because it can be implemented without expanding the planting area. This strategy prioritizes the use of technology in agricultural cultivation.

For example, said Fauzan, in Bondowoso, East Java, rice production can only produce 5 tons of unhulled rice per hectare, without intensification.

With the implementation of organic research-based agricultural intensification, he continued, production could increase to 8 tons per hectare.

Fauzan emphasized that the role of research in efforts to achieve food security is to increase added value in terms of seed productivity through technology and technology.

In addition, research also plays a role in optimizing land use through the implementation of various technologies, both based on the internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence.

"So, without expanding the land, it can increase agricultural productivity which leads to the achievement of food security," said Fauzan Adziman.