Ganjar Encourages Food Sovereignty With Strengthening From Hulu To Hilir

Ganjar Pranowo (Photo of the Ganjar Campaign Team)

JAKARTA - The presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo encourages food sovereignty in Indonesia. Ganjar asked for food problems to be seriously managed from upstream to downstream. Starting from the fertilizer to be used, good seeds to the environment that is starting to become damaged.

"So, all are asked to seriously take care of this food issue, from upstream to downstream, including modernization, fertilizer, good seeds, damaged environment," said Ganjar before the IV PDIP National Working Meeting (Rakernas) at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Friday 29 September.

His attention from the former Governor of Central Java for two periods did not stop there, Ganjar also discussed harmful natural phenomena such as El Nino, which has damaged rainfall and hit the agricultural sector.

In the context of uncontrolled rice prices, Ganjar voiced concern for the economic burden on the community.

"Now that El Nino is happening, this is the issue most needed by the people. The prices of rice are also high, so we need control from us," said Ganjar.

Food strengthening has been carried out by Ganjar with various policies and innovations when he was governor of Central Java, including Ganjar in developing cooperation with Thailand regarding strengthening food security in the agricultural sector.

As of July 2023, the level of ability and added cultivation (LTT) for agricultural commodities in Central Java for rice was 80,680 hectares with an LTT of 39.91 percent. Then corn, with a capacity of 40,028 hectares with an LTT of 53.09 percent.

For soybean agricultural commodities, Central Java Province has a land capacity of 4,352 hectares with an LTT level of 36.88 percent in 35 districts and cities throughout Central Java.

As a national rice barn and in order to strengthen regional food security, Ganjar also continues to strive to increase the number of agricultural production in Central Java, including with Thailand.

Food security is Ganjar's priority for the realization of people's food sovereignty, through the availability, affordability and consumption of nutritious food. Various strategies are carried out so that food security in Central Java is maintained, one of which is the involvement of farmers in food crop innovation.

Referring to the Food Security Index (IKP) ranking issued by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2021, Central Java is the second best province nationally below Bali with an IKP score of 83.72 or a Very Holdable Category.

Then, Central Java Province under Ganjar's leadership has successfully carried out the Thousand Embung Movement, especially in helping agricultural waters. In fact, since 2015 1,135 reservoirs have been built which have played a large role in irrigating rice fields, especially rice fields that are rainy during the dry season. The existence of reservoirs, the benefits are great for the community, because Central Java is often hit by drought during the dry season, and floods during the rainy season. Thus, the water collected in reservoirs can be used to irrigate rice fields during the dry season, and provide raw water sources for residents. Moreover, as one of the food barns in the country, Central Java must maintain its agricultural productivity. Meanwhile, during the rainy season the reservoir functions as a reservoir and flood control.

Then Ganjar also provided fuel assistance to farmers in irrigating rice fields and gardens, as well as various other policies and assistance.