Wamentan Sudaryono Reveals B50 to Accelerate Energy Self-sufficiency

Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono said the implementation of the B50 biodiesel program is an effort by the government to accelerate the realization of energy self-sufficiency as part of President Prabowo Subianto's vision of building national energy independence through domestic resources.

"The President wants everything to be the best fast result. The program is big, done quickly, and has a real impact. The potential for food self-sufficiency must be realized. The potential for energy self-sufficiency must also be realized," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 21.

He conveyed the B50 biodiesel program and Indonesia's success in achieving food self-sufficiency as a concrete example of the implementation of President Prabowo's big vision which is carried out through the best fast result (BFR) approach or producing the best achievements in a short time.

According to Sudaryono, President Prabowo has a big vision to bring Indonesia to become a self-sufficient nation by utilizing all the potential it has, ranging from natural resources, agricultural land, to national energy.

He said the success of the implementation of B50 was one proof that Indonesia was able to optimize the strength of the agricultural sector to support national energy security.

Through this policy, Indonesia is no longer dependent on solar imports because half of the biodiesel needs are met from domestic palm oil production.

With B50, continued Sudaryono, Indonesia no longer imports diesel or solar fuel. As much as 50 percent comes from domestic petroleum and 50 percent of it comes from palm oil produced by Indonesian farmers.

"This shows that an agrarian country like Indonesia is able to utilize natural wealth and the hard work of its farmers to achieve energy self-sufficiency," said Sudaryono.

According to him, this is inseparable from the success of Indonesia in strengthening the food sector first.

The experience during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important lesson for every country to prioritize the needs of its own people so that Indonesia must be able to meet its own food needs.

"During the pandemic, we felt it was difficult to obtain rice from other countries. From that experience, we worked hard until Indonesia finally achieved food self-sufficiency. Now we are taking a step further by strengthening energy self-sufficiency," he said.

He explained that the concept of best fast result is the main approach of the President in carrying out various national strategic programs.

He said the government did not want to let the various potential of the nation only be a discourse, but it must be immediately realized through quick, measurable, and directly impacting steps for the community.

"If the program is large but it takes too long to work, the benefits will be felt too late. Therefore, the President always encourages that every policy is executed quickly with the best results so that the benefits are immediately received by the community," explained Sudaryono.