FAO supports swampland optimization

FAO Representative in Indonesia Stephen Rudgard speaks at the opening of the 38th World Food Day in Jejangkit Village, Barito Kuala, South Kalimantan, Thursday. (Antaranews Kalsel/Latif Thohir)

We see the leadership of the government and are very pleased that the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting the adoption of good agricultural practices related to the implementation of the FAO model,

Jejangkit, (Antaranews) - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency supports the optimization of swampland to increase national food production.

This support was stated by FAO Representative in Indonesia Stephen Rudgard at the opening of the 38th World Food Day in Jejangkit Village, Barito Kuala District, South Kalimantan, Thursday.

He said, the government's focus on 2018 World Food Day with the theme "Optimizing tidal and freshwater swampland towards Indonesia to become a World Food Barn in 2045" is a big step with various challenges faced.

FAO notes that as the government estimates there are about 34 million hectares of swamps in Indonesia, and more than 9 million of the total swamps have the potential for agricultural production.

As in Jejangkit alone, there are more than 3 thousand hectares cultivated under the new program. "We see the leadership of the government and are very pleased that the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting the adoption of good agricultural practices related to the implementation of the FAO model," he said.

Stephen also appreciated the efforts to intensify sustainable food production, including reducing the use of pesticides through integrated pest control.

He also stressed that increasing productivity is very important to feed a growing population, but more importantly has a sustainable agricultural approach.

Globally, he said, food production must be doubled by 2050 to ensure adequate food availability and feed a population of more than 9 billion.

At that time, he added, Indonesia's population will reach 300 million plus increased urbanization and changes in consumer demand, this would put great pressure on the food system in Indonesia.

He said the number of famine had continued to increase over the past three years. People in the world who suffer from chronic food insufficiency increase from around 804 million in 2016 to nearly 821 million in 2017, 11 percent of the world's population or the equivalent of one in nine people on the planet.