Agriculture Ministry Holds Training for A Million Farmers and Counsellors to Anticipate Climate Change

Photo caption: Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo inaugurates Training for A Million Farmers and Counsellors 2022 under the theme “Adaptation and Mitigation of Agriculture to Climate Change” in an online session, on Wednesday (02/23) (Photo by: PR of Ministry of Agriculture)

Ministry of Agriculture held Training for A Million Farmers and Counsellors 2022 to Anticipate Climate Change under the theme “Adaptation and Mitigation of Agriculture to Climate Change” starting from 23 February to 17 March 2022. The Ministry aimed to improve the competence of agricultural human resources to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“What we are doing now is something great, remarkable, and very important for the state, the nation, and the people,” Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo said in his remarks during the inauguration of the training, in an online session, on Wednesday (02/23).

Minister of Agriculture emphasized that in order to face challenges and unexpected condition such as the climate change and the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, serious measures must be taken and accurate calculation must be made.

The Government, he added, should pay attention to food supply sustainability for 273 million Indonesian people.

“Ministry of Agriculture must not make mistakes in calculating, or make a speculation,” he said.

Syahrul expressed belief that Indonesian agricultural actors will be able to get through, to face, and adapt to climate change. He also underscored the importance of innovation in technology and digital system for all agricultural activities can be updated swiftly.

“We must use artificial intelligence to know the agroclimatic conditions, and we must also use digital system,” he said.

The Minister realized that the agricultural actors are facing significant challenges related to climate change. However, he expressed belief that Indonesian agriculture also has a lot of supporting factors.

“Our natural resources are considerable from Sabang to Merauke, as well as our human resources, technology, training, and research. It only takes perseverance,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Head of the Ministry’s Counselling and Development Agency for Agricultural Human Resources (BPPSDMP) Dedi Nursyamsi mentioned in his report that the world is currently experiencing the impacts of the climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic that is not over yet, but the Ministry must continue to boost agricultural productivity and production.

Dedi stated that the training is a maximum regular program intended to make farmers understand about the climate change and its impacts and how to deal with it. Dedi also expressed hope that the farmers will be able to implement the technology to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“The participants are targeted to reach 1,568,483 people or even more, comprising farmers and other agricultural actors with 1.5 million people and counsellors with 68,483 people,” Dedi said.

For the record, the training will involve farmers, Independent Rural Agricultural Training Centers (P4S), Japanese Apprentice Alumni Association (IKAMAJA), Mainstay Farmers and Fishermen Group (KTNA), Millennial Farmers Ambassadors/Mainstay Farmers Ambassadors (DPM/DPA), Agricultural Extension Association (PERHIPTANI), and other agricultural personnel to be carried out by the technical implementing unit (UPT) within the scope of BPPSDMP. (PR of Ministry of Agriculture/UN) (AW/MUR)