Gov’t Seeks to Modernize Agriculture Sector

President Jokowi shakes hands with National Coordination Meeting participants on Forest Fire Management, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (6/8). (Photo by: Deny S / PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has announced plan to shift Indonesian agriculture sector from traditional to modern system.

This move aims to stop discourage from burning forests to clear the land, the President added.

“We need to shift the agricultural system from traditional to modern using technology. This is the job of governors, regents, ministers, and mayors to disseminate (the plan) to the farmers,” President Jokowi said at a National Coordination Meeting on Forest Fire Management at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (6/8).

According to the President, Ministry of Agriculture in the last five years has distributed modern agricultural machinery such as tractors, excavators, and bulldozers to regions that with expansive land areas, including in Humbang Hasundutan in North Sumatera province.

“I was surprised to know that some regions have been provided with such modern machinery by Ministry of Agriculture,” the President said, adding that he has also ordered other regional leaders to request for similar assistances for their regions.

“But first we need to change mindset and behavior of the farmers. It is not an easy job as they used to clearing the land by burning the forest for years and now we ask them to use machinery,” President Jokowi said.

President Jokowi went on to say that regional governments should also provide drone to frequently monitor the forest fire.

Once the fire occurs, he added, relevant stakeholders can extinguish the fire as early as possible.

Regarding budget for drones, he said that every region can allocate their regional budget for drones or ask the central government’s assistance in case of emergency. (HIM/DNS/ES)

Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas