South Kalimantan now has a botanical garden in an area of 100 hectares. It will develop and preserve nutritious crops and specific plants from 13 regent in the province.
It takes the name "Kebun Raya Banua" or Banua Botanical Garden and it become one of only 16 of its kind in Indonesia.
South Kalimantan ought to be grateful that botanical garden it has proposed 2010 ago was directly approved and enacted into a President Regulation.
"It will focus on native efficacious medicinal plants of Kalimantan," said Suriatinah, the Head of Research and Development Area (Balitbangda) of South Kalimantan, in a day of declaration headed by Vice Governor Rudy Resnawan.
During the year of 2012,Balitbangda has identified many of nutritious crops from six regents of Banjar, Tapin, Hulu Sungai Utara, Hulu Sungai Tengah, Balangan and Tabalong. 121 species has found so far.
Today, some of its nutritious plants are being developed by nursery seedlings at Institute of Integrated Agricultural Research and Development (Balai Pengkajian dan Pengembangan Pertanian Terpadu) Tambang Ulang. Kebun Raya Bogor also helps it with its plants collection./D)
