REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Government's effort to reach self procurement of food is hampered by declining number of farmers. Based on the data from Ministry of Agriculture, the number of farmer households declines from 31 million to 26 million in the last 10 years.
In order to solve the problem, government allocates state budget to purchase agricultural machinery. Director General of Agricultural Infrastructures at Ministry of Agriculture, Sumarjo Gatot Irianto, said government would purchase 9,000 units of tractors, 8,000 water pumps and 200 transplanters.
The ministry believes that machinery will boost the production and press the cost. He is optimistic that machinery will attract young generation to work in agricultural business.