Various Strategies Of Ganjar Make Central Java Food Security Safe Controlled

Ganjar Pranowo (Photo via Central Java Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - Food security is a priority for the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo. 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 value of 83.72 or a very resilient category.

Central Java also received an award from Bank Indonesia as the best province supporting national food security in the category of Food Plant Cluster Sub-Sector Inflation Control.

This achievement cannot be separated from Ganjar's intensive efforts to mobilize farmers to innovate in agricultural entrepreneurs. The governor also passed on success stories by deliberately inviting three millennial farmers to the Soropadan Agro Festival in Temanggung Regency, to share knowledge.

The three farmers are Hendi Nur Seto from Temanggung Regency, Eko Tugiyono (Semarang Regency) and Untungno Widi Nugroho (Wonosobo Regency). They are inspiring farmers who have succeeded in maintaining food sovereignty and earning millions of rupiah per month from farming.

Untungno Widi Nugroho, for example, managed to cultivate sweet potatoes (cilembu) to successfully fill the export market. He also cultivates lemon oranges, to freshwater fisheries. But the mainstay is sweet potatoes grown on an area of 12 hectares.

"I am able to produce around 1,200 tons of sweet potatoes. In fact, we can export these sweet potatoes to several countries, including Singapore. Those that enter the export grade process range from 30-40 percent of production. The average area of 1 hectare produces between 13-15 tons, with a lifespan of 3.5 to 4 months," explained Untung as quoted from the official website of the Central Java Provincial Government, Friday, January 20.

Ganjar has various strategies in managing so that food security in Central Java is safely controlled. First, cooperating with village heads and their devices to maintain food security. The village heads have experience empowering the yard, providing alternative food, and diversifying food.

Second, invite farmers to plant food ingredients to accompany rice to realize food security, such as tubers, corn, porang, and other alternative foods as a companion to rice.

Third, invite the public to buy Klaten Srinuk rice to encourage food security. Klaten Regency, for example, has issued a policy for State Civil Apparatus (ASN) which is required to buy 10 kg of Srinuk rice every month.

Fourth, together with Habib Syech Qodir Assegaf invites scouters to participate in maintaining food security through activities in the surrounding environment.

Fifth, the strategy that is no less brilliant is that Ganjar made a brilliant idea to make a Farmers-Owned Enterprise (BUMP) which is very profitable. According to the governor, BUMP in addition to profiting from product sales, training from agricultural experts, as well as profits as shareholders. In Central Java, there are at least seven districts that already have BUMP.

As a province that has the status of a food barn, Ganjar has also anticipated the threat of a global recession in 2023 which has the potential for a food crisis.

Among the breakthroughs taken by Ganjar to anticipate the potential crisis, namely efforts to diversify food by preparing local food as a regional food reserve. The local food in question includes mocaf noodles (casong stepung), corn rice, and cassava rice. Central Java also develops Grobogan soybean varieties, planting in the yard, to the use of organic fertilizers.

In addition, handling food insecurity in disaster-affected areas and food-prone villages, as well as strengthening family food security.

"The food should not be translated into only rice, we have corn, cassava, breadfruit which we can produce a lot. Including porang which sells very well so that food diversification applies," said Ganjar.

Head of the Central Java Food Security Service, Dyah Lukisari, said that food diversity measures in Central Java had been started for a long time. However, creative steps are needed to make local food the king in your own area.

Besides being known as a buffer rice producer for national needs, Central Java is also rich in alternative food potential. Based on data from Central Java, alternative food production in Central Java is abundant. For example, wood sweet potatoes whose production reaches 2,288,971 tons in September 2022, 114,415 tons of sweet potatoes, 58,423 tons of soil beans, and 24,590 tons of green beans.

Meanwhile, for corn production, until September 2022, it reached 3,047,712 tons. Meanwhile, the production of soybeans until the same month has only reached 47,246 tons. There are also sorghum plants, which this year are planted on an area of 120 hectares, in Wonogiri, Sukoharjo and Cilacap. Productivity is also high, reaching around 1,000 tons.

According to Dyah, the food diversification strategy is carried out by cultivating local food to the community. This method is taken so that people's mindset does not refer to one commodity, such as rice.

Departing from this mindset, since 2022, Dishanpan has budgeted Rp. 100 million for the purchase of alternative food as food reserves, along with the main food reserve commodity, namely rice.

"Our food supply in our 2022 budget for changes has added mocaf noodles, corn rice, and cassava rice. The budget is still small when compared to rice which reaches Rp. 1.5 billion, for alternative foods of around Rp. 100 million," he said.