Food Production In 2023 Decreases, Ministry Of Agriculture Invites ICMI To Formulate Smart Ideas To Manage Agriculture

Screenshots - ICMI General Chair Arif Satria gave a speech at Halal Bihalal ICMI activities with the Ministry of Agriculture staff monitored online on the ICMI Youtube account in Jakarta, Wednesday night (1/5/2024). ANTARA/Harianto

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) invites the Indonesian Muslim Cendekiawan Association (ICMI) to synergize in overcoming agricultural problems in order to realize Indonesia's food security in the midst of global geopolitical turmoil and climate change due to the El Nino phenomenon.

The invitation was conveyed by the Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Prihasto Setyanto in the Halal Bihalal ICMI activity with the Ministry of Agriculture being monitored online in Jakarta, Wednesday, May 1 evening.

"The Ministry of Agriculture needs support from various parties, including from ICMI, which is very important as an organization of Muslim scholars in Indonesia, ICMI has the ability and strategic role in formulating smart ideas to manage agricultural resources," said Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture Prihasto Setyanto as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, April 2.

Prihasto said that the current global food situation is not encouraging. The challenges faced in food supply are increasingly complex due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon and geopolitical turmoil, especially the Russia-Ukraine and the central east conflicts.

"This has an impact on the supply of raw fertilizer materials and has caused a decline in production and disruption of food distribution. Various conflicts that have occurred have an impact on the continued increase in food commodity prices which have resulted in high inflation and a world food crisis," said Prihasto.

He said that currently there are still countries that are threatened with serious hunger and Indonesia could also face a food crisis if it is not wary.

For Prihasto, this condition is a warning to national food security, this arena is a vital thing for the country's resilience.

Furthermore, Prihasto said that the ranks of the Ministry of Agriculture had gone directly to the field to optimize the existing planting season with sufficient rainfall so that the expansion of the April and May rice planting areas could meet the needs from August to October 2024.

He said that if you look at the decline in rice production in 2023 and increasing rice imports, it is important to act quickly. The decline in the area of rice planting is a serious concern for the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture has identified several reasons, namely the non-optimal production of national rice, including the reduced volume of subsidized fertilizers, lack of access to subsidized fertilizers, reduced use of superior seeds and the impact of climate change such as El Nino.

According to Prihasto, many ICMI figures on the national stage are known to have qualified care and abilities to actively participate in agricultural development in Indonesia.

Therefore, he hopes that the friendship and collaboration will increase the synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and ICMI to achieve food sovereignty and prosper Indonesian farmers.

"With continuous collaboration and synergy, I believe we can restore Indonesia's agricultural glory as a sovereign and food-sufficiency country. Together we face the challenge of rising prices and the availability of staple food," said Prihasto.

ICMI General Chair Arif Satria admitted that his party is ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to realize Indonesia's food security, especially in the midst of climate change due to the El Nino phenomenon.

"Regarding climate change, a very big challenge for us is that all components of the nation have a time to stay in touch and collaborate because food lives in the death of a nation, and we are also required to be creative in providing this food," said Arif who is also the Chancellor of the Bogor Agricultural Institute.

He mentioned that two things are in overcoming the availability of the first food to increase production by using technology and secondly reducing food loss and food waste.

He also admitted that his party had created varieties of superior IPB 9G rice seeds that were amphibious in nature, where these varieties could be planted on wet or dry land.

Then it can save 20 percent of fertilizer. This means that it can save IDR 10 trillion in fertilizer subsidies if this variety is applied throughout Indonesia. This is a form of our attitude in the innovative form that starts with new works, our production must also have a mentality with innovation," said Arif.