President Prabowo's Push: Accelerate Food Self-Sufficiency In South Papua

Presiden Prabowo Subianto mencoba alat panen untuk mewujudkan selfembada beras di Papua Selatan. (Dok Kementan)

MERAUKE - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) continues to accelerate the self-sufficiency program in Merauke Regency, South Papua, including by providing farmer assistance and maximizing mechanization as a transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. This effort is in line with President Prabowo's great concern, who wants to make South Papua a food barn for Indonesia.

"He asked us to accelerate the idea of printing rice fields as an effort to realize self-sufficiency. In addition, the President advised the government to pay attention to the welfare of the people there (Papua)," said the Minister of Agriculture after accompanying President Prabowo's inaugural visit, Sunday, November 3, 2024.

As a concrete step, the Minister of Agriculture Amran said that the government is ready to build tertiary irrigation channels and provide free seeds to farmers who want to build modern agriculture throughout Indonesia, especially in Merauke Regency, South Papua.

"I make sure the government is present for the welfare of the community. The keyword is that the government is present for the welfare of the Papuan people, and we are targeting national self-sufficiency within 4 years," he said.

Until now, said the Minister of Agriculture, many people have asked for the development of agricultural land there as new rice fields that have high economic value.

What I heard, the people in several districts requested that the land be processed immediately because this program was considered to be able to improve their welfare. We have been going back and forth here and many people support it," he explained.

Previously, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, held his first working visit (Kunker) in Merauke Regency, South Papua. There, the President encouraged the acceleration of self-sufficiency to be carried out massively and sustainably, especially in the development of food production centers in Eastern Indonesia.