Anies Baswedan Wants To Make Gorontalo Agropolitan City

Presidential Candidate (Capres) Anies Baswedan had a dialogue with farmers in East Bulotalangi, Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo, Monday (8/1/2024). ANTARA/Adiwinata Solihin

BONE BOLANGO - The presidential candidate, Anies Baswedan, wants Gorontalo province to become an Agropolitan city or a service city that facilitates agricultural needs and food processing.

"We came here to build Gorontalo into one of the cities upgraded to make Gorontalo the city of Agropolitan," said Anies in front of hundreds of farmers in East Bulotalangi, Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, January 8.

Anies explained, in Agropolitan City, Gorontalo will become a service city that facilitates agricultural needs, food treatment needs, which develops the processing industry.

"So on the two sides, one side becomes a service, on the other hand it becomes a processing city for the agricultural products industry. So the hope is that Gorontalo will become one of the 40 cities in Indonesia that we will upgrade," he said.

The number one presidential candidate said that in the province of Gorontalo, young people witnessed great potential in the agricultural sector, on the other hand, young people also saw that the agricultural sector still did not provide a balanced welfare.

"So young people want to work in the agricultural sector, but the agricultural sector does not provide welfare, this makes their aspirations very strong about improving commerce, making the selling price of agricultural products better," said Anies.

He also encouraged the use of technology in agriculture. In the dialogue, said Anies, there were residents who proposed a new agricultural school in Gorontalo, so that young people had the latest techniques to process agricultural activities.

Anies sees Gorontalo Province as a place for agricultural piloting, because corn, cocoa and other types of plants can grow well.

"The soil is fertile, the ecosystem is healthy," he said.

Anies wants development in Indonesia to be provided with an even portion and in accordance with its potential, according to needs so that it can be sustainable.