Gov’t to Boost Development of Agriculture and Fisheries Sectors

The atmosphere prior to the Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Acceleration of Economic Strengthening in the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (10/12). (Photo by: Jay/PR).

In a bid to accelerate development of agriculture and fisheries sector, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed his Cabinet to make three breakthroughs.

The first thing that must be done to advance the two sectors is to pay attention to off-farm activities.

“Especially the post-production activities,” President Jokowi said at his remarks at the Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Acceleration of Economic Strengthening in Agriculture and Fisheries Sector at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday (10/12).

According to President Jokowi, farmers and fishermen carry out post-production activities to increase their products’ added value through agricultural and fishery processing as well as developing agriculture and fisheries-based businesses.

The second breakthrough, the President continued, to develop off-farm activities farmers and fishermen must get funding and assistance in managing or marketing their products.

President Jokowi went on to say that the Government already has the KUR (Smallholder Business Credit) scheme with a budget ceiling Rp190 trillion with only 6 percent interest.

“The KUR must be designed with special schemes per cluster,” he added.

As for the third innovation, the Government, the President added, must start encouraging micro, small, and medium enterprises owned by farmers and fishermen to collaborate in groups or with large corporations, so that they will get greater economic scale.

“With collaboration, farmers and fishermen can be more effective in getting raw materials, can have access to working capital and investment, and market their produce to both national and global supply chains,” the President said.

President Jokowi went on to say fisheries and agriculture sector are very important and strategic not only because these two sectors provide food commodities for more than 260 million Indonesians but also because the two sectors can provide more jobs, contribute to bring greater welfare for the people, and reduce poverty rate. (TGH/EN/JAY/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas