OIKN Affirms Agriculture Remains In IKN

Head of the Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources of OIKN, Myrna Asnawati Safitri. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

The Capital Archipelago Authority (OIKN) emphasized that agriculture remains in IKN, in fact farmers face challenges in meeting food needs in the new nation's capital.

"We present the answer to this Nusantara Agrofest," said Head of the Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources of OIKN Myrna Asnawati Safitri in West Samboja, IKN, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan, quoted from Antara, Sunday, November 26.

Nusantara Agrofest is a gathering forum and shares IKN farmers.

Nusantara Agrofest took place from 25-26 November 2023 at the West Samboja Youth Gelora. On that occasion, technology, agricultural tools and machinery, seeds and seeds, fertilizers, agricultural products, processed agricultural products, to bank credit for agricultural businesses were displayed.

Farmers in IKN, explained Myrna, are intensively farming with environmentally friendly agriculture which is marked by the use of organic fertilizers and the use of measurable chemical fertilizers. IKN farmers will take full advantage of land, space, water, to get maximum results.

According to OIKN Food Security Director P Setia Lenggono, the example of the intensive agriculture is planting in a greenhouse with a droplet irrigation system.

This method is water-saving, fertilizer-saving, with maximum results, including the fact that plant-disturbing pests are minimal.

Farmers at IKN learn to grow in a greenhouse with the droplet irrigation system at the Tani Nusantara Agricultural and Rural Training Center (P4S) in Samboja, 55 km north of Balikpapan or 80 km east of IKN in Sepaku.

"We invite the experts to study immediately," continued Lenggono.

The farmers who participated in the training came from farmer groups, namely the Mekar Sari Farmers Group from Bumi Harapan Village, the Maju Karya Maju Farmers Group Bukit Raya Village, the Sri Rejeki B Farmers Group Argo Mulyo Village, the Makmur Tunas Farmers Group Karang Jinawi Village, the Mandiri Creative Farmers Group, Sepaku Village, and the Nila Sari Farmers Group, Pelumuran Village.

Nusantara Agrofest is also an arena to expand the network, to bring together producers and consumers and distribution networks.

"Because we all need to synergize, work together to achieve common welfare goals," said Myrna.