Balittra encourages the birth of millennial farmers to change swamps to be productive

This is the Balittra trial plantation where various commodities are planted here, such as rice, corn, papaya, watermelon, oranges to the conservation of other exotic swamps, such as durian, casturi to quineries which are more resistant to extreme inundation and soil acidity. (Antaranews Kalsel/photo/Firman)

We have a Swampland Agricultural Science Park equipped with laboratories of soil, plants, fertilizers, and water. Every month there are 30 to 40 students of Banjarbaru State Agricultural Development Vocational School (SMK-PP) intern to learn how to c

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Swampland Agriculture Research Institute (Balittra) of the Agriculture Ministry's Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development continues to encourage farmers to optimize swamp land, so they can plant two to three times a year.

One of its efforts is to produce millennial farmers who can turn swampland into productive.

"We have a Swampland Agricultural Science Park equipped with laboratories of soil, plants, fertilizers, and water. Every month there are 30 to 40 students of Banjarbaru State Agricultural Development Vocational School (SMK-PP) intern to learn how to cultivate swamps. Prospective millennial farmers are expected to understand and master the development of swamps," said Head of Balittra Hendri Sosiawan.

The 25-hectare vacant land in the Balitra Office on Jalan Kebun Karet, North Loktabat Urban Village, Banjarbaru City, was indeed used as a trial garden.

Every year, there are plantations of various commodities, such as rice, corn, papaya, watermelon, oranges to the conservation of other exotic swamps, such as durian, casturi to quineries which are more resistant to extreme inundation and soil acidity.

"We are open to all people who want to learn. Please come, ask questions and see the results for yourself," Hendri told Antara News Agency, Tuesday (12/3).

This Bachelor of Soil Science Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada University is keen to continue to echo progress in agriculture, as the Ministry of Agriculture's program continues to increase production starting from selection of quality seeds, increasing area for planting (LTT), to optimizing land such as swamp land rice fields.

Hendri invited all farmers to change the paradigm for technology literacy in increasing production. Farmers must work together with researchers, including starting to plant superior varieties of rice seeds, besides local types, such as siam unus rice and so on.