Agriculture Minister Chairs Meeting On Food Resilience In Se Sulawesi

Kendari, SE Sulawesi, Antara Sultra - Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman chaired a coordinating meeting on food resilience, here, Friday.

The meeting`s theme was `Special Endeavor for Paddy, Corn, Soybeans, and Cattle Farming for Sustainable Food Self-Sufficiency`.

The meeting was attended by Commander of the VII Wirabuana Military Command Major General Agus Surya Bhakti, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Nur Alam, Senator Waode Hamsina Bolu, Speaker of the Southeast Sulawesi Legislative Council DPRD) Abdurahman Saleh, besides the mayors and district heads from Southeast Sulawesi.

The minister encouraged local authorities to boost the production of paddy, corn, soybean and meat.

"Since 2016, we have stopped importing rice, onions and chillies. This is historical because for more than 30 years we have been importing these items," the minister revealed.

The Central Government has allocated funds amounting to Rp850 billion for agriculture, an increase from Rp300 billion, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Commander of the XIII Merdeka Military Command Major General Ganip Warsito has declared that his military personnel will help clear 5,000 hectares of land in North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, and Gorontalo to conduct agricultural activities.

"The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) is grateful that it has been entrusted by the government to help clear and manage these agricultural lands. This is proof of the military`s concrete role in the community," Warsito said here, Friday.

The major general, whose office is based in Manado, North Sulawesi, visited Gorontalo to demonstrate the military`s support to the government`s efforts to increase the production of agricultural commodities.

"The TNI has always supported and helped the community in the efforts to boost productivity in the agricultural sector, among other things," he remarked.