Megawati Asks BRIN To Sharpen Demographic Bonus Research

Chairman of the BRIN Steering Committee Megawati Sukarnoputri (left) together with Deputy Chairperson of the BRIN Steering Committee Sri Mulyani (medium) and Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko (left)/ANTARA HO BRIN

BOGOR - Chairman of the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Megawati Sukarnoputri asked BRIN to sharpen Indonesia's demographic bonus research.

"Starting this year we are experiencing a demographic bonus. I ask BRIN to sharpen what the demographic bonus means because it only lasts 13 years," said the fifth Indonesian President in the Soekarno Science and Technology Area, Bogor Regency, West Java, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 5.

Megawati said BRIN continues to strive to be able to help through research that can optimize the potential demographic bonuses for the progress of Indonesia's development in the future.

The existence of the demographic bonus provides an advantage for Indonesia because the population of productive age is more than non-productive age.

According to him, if the potential for the demographic bonus is optimized, it can change Indonesia's status from a developing country to a developed country.

"To be able to emphasize and make it easier for them (productive age residents) of course, this must be included in the allocation, in addition to the budget, what things can immediately make them get, for example, jobs and so on," said Megawati.

In addition to demographic bonus research, BRIN also prioritizes research on food considering the impact of the climate crisis which is getting faster and more extreme.

Megawati wants BRIN to do research that can create food sovereignty and meet food needs for all Indonesian people, one of which is the stevia plant which can be used as a sweetener that can replace sugar from sugar cane.

He also hopes that the younger generation will become farmers because without farmers, there will be no food available.

"It should be to need food, yes, people need it. Bung Karno left that the most important thing for the people's needs is to be full, meaning that the stomach is not hungry," concluded Megawati.