Megawati Soekarnoputri Challenging University Developing Local Food Production

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The Chairman of the PDI Perjuangan Megawati Soekarnoputri challenging researchers from all universities to research cultivating the diversity of Indonesian food.

"I always hope that Indonesian researchers find superior seeds and at the same time the ability to develop process technology for an extraordinary variety of Indonesian food. In fact, I want to give incentives to encourage Indonesian researchers", said Megawati as quoted from a release distributed by the Secretary General of PDIP Hasto Kristiyanto, Tuesday, March 23.

Megawati was a person who was consistent in matters of food.

"Not only in politics, in terms of the movement to plant companion rice crops, but Megawati is also very consistent. Since one year ago, Ma'am Mega has changed her diet by reducing rice, and replacing bananas, tubers, taro, breadfruit etc. This morning I saw for myself how Ma'am Mega's breakfast menu consists of corn, boiled bananas and spring rolls filled with a combination of eggs and vegetables”, said Hasto.

Hasto added that Megawati also proposed planting shirataki rice, which is a porang plant.

“This is Shirataki rice from Japan. I deliberately asked to buy it because it was from Porang. You send this picture to Sir Pratik (Minister of State Secretary), and ask UGM, IPB, and other universities to do research to make processed products from local food such as how to process Porang, etc.", said Ma'am Mega excitedly.

Hasto added that what Megawati Soekarnoputri was doing with the movement of planting companion rice crops was none other than an effort so that Indonesia did not need to import rice.

“The path of self-reliance in food must be built with confidence. Wherever, the duty of the minister of trade focuses on encouraging exports. So it is very strange, in the midst of a pandemic that should save foreign exchange, the minister of trade continues to insist on a campaign to import rice", said Hasto.