Ministry urges farmers to drive low-emission agriculture shift

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs is encouraging farmers to become the primary drivers in transforming the agricultural sector toward a low-emission, sustainable food production system.

The ministry's Director of Food Production and Climate Change, Fajar Nuradi, stated in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday that reducing emissions in agriculture depends not only on technology and policy, but also on empowering farmers as the main actors.

"Farmers are not just the subjects of policy; they are the primary drivers of this transformation. Therefore, building their capacity is absolutely vital," he said at the FSIP - FOLUR Second Global Dialogue on Sustainable Rice Transformation.

Strengthening farmer capacity, providing technological support, and granting access to climate financing are deemed vital to creating a food system that is productive and environmentally friendly.

According to him, farmers must be equipped with the skills to operate modern technology while also understanding how to utilize data to boost productivity and farming efficiency.

The government is actively promoting the adoption of various innovations, such as drones, remote sensors, and digital monitoring systems, to foster an agricultural sector that is more adaptive to climate change.

Fajar underscored that Indonesia has a major stake in developing low-emission agriculture as the country's food security relies on rice as its foundation.

At the same time, rice farming remains one of the largest sources of methane emissions within the agricultural sector.

Therefore, the implementation of low-emission technologies is seen as a dual-benefit solution, cutting greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously increasing productivity, improving water efficiency, and strengthening the agricultural sector's resilience against the impacts of climate change.

In addition to strengthening farmers' capacity, the government is also pushing for increased access to climate finance.

On that occasion, he highlighted the issue of limited global climate finance flowing to smallholder farmers and the agricultural sector.

To expand the access, Indonesia has developed the G20 Bali Global Blended Finance Alliance (GBFA), aimed at mobilizing financial resources from governments, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, and international institutions to support various climate action programs.

"We need greater financial support so that innovation and technology can actually be implemented by farmers on the ground," he said.

Fajar added that the future transformation of agriculture also requires more accurate emission monitoring systems driven by digital technology, including the use of blockchain to enhance program transparency and accountability.

He emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to build sustainable food systems, with farmers placed at the center of change.

"This transformation is not merely about technology and finance, but how we build trust and partnership to create a more robust, inclusive, and sustainable food system," he remarked.

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Translator: Rolandus Nampu, Raka Adji

Editor: Primayanti

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