World Food Day momentum for Indonesia to be world food barn

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (Antaranews Kalsel) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution said the 38th World Food Day commemoration in South Kalimantan is a momentum for Indonesia to become the world's food barn in 2045.


According to Darmin, Indonesia is determined to continue to increase food production to meet domestic food needs. Indonesia is also determined to become a world food barn which is marked by the launch of the Lebak Swamp and Tidal land Optimization program towards Indonesia to be World Food Barn in 2045.

He said the central government through the relevant ministries in agriculture and food security appreciated the hard work of South Kalimantan in carrying out the grand event commemorating 2018 World Food Day (HPS).

"This success is due to the hard work of the local government and all relevant parties who work together to maintain trust in the success of the 2018 World Food Day," he said on Thursday.

Darmin said, what South Kalimantan had done was very helpful for the country in its efforts to realize national food security.

The Indonesian government, he said, has an obligation to increase rice production in ensuring food security. Because globally, especially in 2050, food production must be doubled to ensure sufficient food availability for a population of more than 9 billion people.

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

Darmin was speaking when representing President Joko Widodo who was unable to attend the 38th World Food Day in Jejangkit Village, Barito Kuala.
 
According to Darmin, Indonesia through the Ministry of Agriculture is optimizing the swampy and tidal swampland, which has not been fully exploited. "Including in South Kalimantan, which has already carried out the opening of 4,000 hectares of lebak swamp land in this village," he said.

Since it was opened as a pilot project in April 2018, agricultural land in the Jejangkit Muara village has around 750 hectares planted with various crops, dominated by rice.

Of the total land already planted, Darmin continued, around 100 hectares of rice could be harvested to coincide with HPS.

The harvest was conducted by Darmin Nasution together with Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, South Kalimantan Governor H Sahbirin Noor and Barito Kuala Regent Hj Noormiliani, as well as a number of ambassadors from neighboring countries present.