Indonesia boosts food security with fertilizer and farm support

Sigi, C Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan participated in the distribution of agricultural aid to farmers in Central Sulawesi, symbolically handing out 1.5 tonnes each of NPK and urea fertilizer.

“This fertilizer assistance represents the government’s support for efforts to boost agricultural productivity in Central Sulawesi,” he remarked during a farmers’ gathering in Sigi District on Saturday.

President Prabowo Subianto, he said, has instructed government officials to put greater effort into welfare improvement by ensuring optimal implementation of all strategic programs related to crop cultivation and food security.

Hasan noted that the directive had been translated into a range of farmer-oriented policies and initiatives, most notably the 20 percent reduction of the ceiling retail price for subsidized fertilizer, construction of new fertilizer plants, and guaranteed fertilizer stocks ahead of a planting season.

“We have directly ensured that fertilizer is available in adequate quantities ahead of a planting season, with the price discounted by around 20 percent. This is not based on a government report, but rather on direct testimonies from farmers,” he stated.

The minister then highlighted Indonesia’s success in keeping sufficient stocks of fertilizer for farmers nationwide amid disrupted global supplies due to conflicts.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining a favorable unhusked rice price level for farmers, setting a minimum price of of Rp6,500 (US$0.36) per kilogram.

These measures have increased the farmer exchange rate from 116 to 127, he added, indicating elevated well-being among rice and corn farmers.

Furthermore, he pointed to the agenda to expand national food self-sufficiency from rice to animal protein commodities through expansions in the fisheries sector.

To that end, the government intends to develop biofloc-supported aquaculture zones across 40,000 villages nationwide, involving the Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions.

“Our objective ahead is to make villages self-sufficient in food. Having secured rice, we will shift our focus to protein to develop Indonesia into a leading fish exporter in Asia,” Hasan remarked.

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Translator: M. Salam, Tegar Nurfitra

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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