REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla believes that Indonesia can achieve food self-sufficiency in two years and have full stock of food staples and enhance national food sustainability by then.
"The government's promise is to achieve food security to develop the economy. One of the agendas we discussed is that in two to three years, or maybe even a year, Indonesia can be self-sufficient in food commodities, including rice, sugar, corn and soybean," Kalla said here on Monday (15/12).
He delivered his speech after the inauguration of the Joint Letter (handbill) on Special Efforts in Reaching Self-Sufficiency in Rice, Corn and Soybean Commodities.
The letter was signed by Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, People's Housing and Public Works Minister Hadimoeljono, Deputy Chief of Police Commissioner General Badrodin Haiti, State Financial Deputy Minister Mardiasmo, and Attorney General H. M. Prasetyo. State Enterprises Minister Sofyan Djalil also attended the signing ceremony.
The letter is aimed at accelerating the supply of seeds and the repair of irrigation channels that can be implemented through direct assignments.
The vice president noted that to reach food self-sufficiency, Indonesia needs to improve its quality of seeds as well as identify the right time to plant them, and improve the supply of fertilizers.
"Rehabilitating irrigation channels and providing counseling to farmers is also part of efforts to reach food self-sufficiency," Kalla affirmed.
According to him, to know the right time to plant seeds, farmers need a regulation that can direct the cultivation period.
"The supply of seeds and other agricultural necessities must not be delayed. This way, we will not have to hold project auctions in an emergency," he remarked.
Kalla further stated that a problem related to agricultural necessities is that long-term procurement can take up to 45 days.
In addition, the price of agricultural requirements in project auctions is higher than their usual cost.
"Corruptors will utilize this gap in price, which will lead to the spread of non-certified seeds. This will, in turn, trigger a decrease in the production of corn and rice," he warned.
Furthermore, the vice president pointed out that the construction of irrigation networks will not be implemented through project auctions, which will take six months to process.
He added that the handbill will play an important role in supporting the presidential decree and in reminding all institutions concerned to not violate the law.
"In fact, there will be no problem even without the presence of the handbill. However, we know from prior experience that the letter can boost the program with support from law enforcers to prevent unwanted actions," he observed.
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