JAKARTA - Presidential Chief of Staff Dr. Moeldoko admitted that he was challenged to develop sorghum plants in Waingapu, East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). He also targets the cultivation of sorghum to reach a land area of 400 hectares this year.
Moeldoko emphasized that the production of sorghum must continue to be increased as an alternative food for wheat and rice substitutes. Moreover, President Joko Widodo has mandated that food diversification be carried out. One of them is through the development of land and downstream sorghum in NTT.
"So food is not only focused on soybean corn and rice, no. But there are other diversifications that we can exploit. Sorghum, the second is Sagu. We can also use this very massively," said Moeldoko, Friday, April 16.
The 2013-2015 TNI Commander added that the development of sorghum plants can also be a leap to reduce stunting rates in NTT. This is because sorghum contains nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help the nutritional needs of children. In addition, continued Moeldoko, by planting sorghum in barren and marginal lands, it also provides new economic opportunities for farmers and the local community.
All of these sorghum are useful and have high economic value. For this reason, the government has prepared an offtaker so that farmers are more enthusiastic about planting sorghum and can live a prosperous life," he explained.
Moeldoko, who is also the Chairman of HKTI, reminded that the government has compiled a roadmap for sorghum development in NTT. The initial stage is by preparing 15,000 hectares of land. The second stage, 50,000 hectares, and the third stage is lined up to 200,000 hectares.
"In addition to land, the government is also currently preparing national sorghum nursery or seeds in Waingapu. So forty-five percent of the sorghum harvest is used for seeds and replanted," he explained.
As is known, on Wednesday, April 12, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko and the Regent of East Sumba carried out a sorghum harvest on an area of 50 hectares managed by PT Sorghum Moetti Agriculture, in Waingapu.
Panen di atas lahan seluas 50 hekter tersebut, diperkarakan dapat mencapai 100 biji kering dengan 250 ton biji wet. Adapun benak yang digunakan untuk sorghum merupakan variety super 1.
Actually, the area of land prepared by PT SMA is for planting and processing sorghum covering an area of 3,200 hectares. However, this year's harvest season is 200 hectares. Meanwhile, only 50 hectares of land can be harvested from 100 hectares are embedded. "The remaining fifty hectares of locust attack is in the small phase. We maximize the remaining fifty hectares," said PT SMA Project Manager Hermanto on the sidelines of Moeldoko's visit.
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