Oleh Baheramsyah, Selasa, 2 Februari 2016 | 16:40 WIB - Redaktur: Filmon Warouw - 1K
Jakarta, InfoPublik - Ministry of Agriculture since in the early of 2015 had anticipated the threat of severe drought by, for example, distributing pumps, machineries, and other agricultural tools. These measures are believed to have increased the rice production.
Indonesian Agriculture Ministry’s Head of Data and Information System Center, Suwandi, said that the Ministry had also conducted other measures such as rehabilitating ponds, long-storage, and irrigation networks and making artificial rain.
Mr. Suwandi claimed that these programs had boosted the productivity in 2015. Last year’s various policies had stimulated positive results in the farms.
In addition, direct procurement had led to on time seed and fertilizer distribution. Seed distribution outside existing farms had led to the extension of farming area, and irrigation improvements had scaled crop index. Furthermore, agricultural tools and machineries accelerated planting process, planting period, as well as harvest and post-harvest process, which resulted in cost efficiency and decrease of losses. Legowo—rice planting in long and wide rows method—combined with improved seed increased productivity.
"Therefore, we are optimistic that in 2016, rice production will be higher than in 2015, given the government’s tangible programs. In fact, the 2016 production is projected to be the highest of production. We have to be optimistic, because optimism gives us spirit to work hard and do something better," Suwandi said in Jakarta, Thursday (28/1).
According to him, efforts from all parties in increasing 2015 production are succeed. Despite severe El-Nino in 2015 than that of 1997, farmers were able to increase production to 74.99 million tons of dry unhusked rice (GKG) or rose 5.85 percent compared to 2014 (Indonesia Central Statistics Agency Forecast Figures II 2015).
"During the 1997 drought, Indonesia imported 7.1 million tons of rice in 1998 to supply food demand. For comparison, in 2015 Indonesians had not consumed medium imported rice," he said. “With 100 percent budget increase—Ministry of Agriculture’s 2014 budget was Rp16 trillion and in 2015 rose to 32 trillion—agricultural system was transformed from conventional to modern farming which requires huge budget.
"Changing habits from conventional farming that has been in place for 70 years to modern is not easy. 2015 had marked an important milestone in the Indonesian agricultural history," he concluded. (Translator: Penni Patmawati Rusman)
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