President Jokowi Asks IPB Students to Develop Indonesia’s Farming Sector

President Jokowi delivers a remarks during a public lecture at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) tocommemorate the 54th Dies Natalis (anniversary) of IPB, at the Bogor Dramaga Campus, West Java, on Wednesday (6/9)

All countries in the future will fight over agriculture products, energy, and clean water; thus, without sufficient logistics resources, Indonesia will be easily defeated, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

The President made the statement in his remarks during a public lecture at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) to commemorate IPB 54^th Dies Natalis (anniversary) of the campus held at the Bogor Dramaga Campus, West Java, on Wednesday (6/9). “In years to come, politics will no longer prevail, but food commodities will. Those who have food commodities will control everything,” the President added.

For that reason, President Jokowi stressed the importance of doing preparation measures. According to the President, a new paradigm should be set and innovation should be created because without them, Indonesia will have hard times in the competition against other countries. Therefore, President Jokowi invited IPB to continue cooperating with the Government and hopes that the Institute will not stop making innovations and will not become an ivory tower only.

“Let’s keep reaching out to the people and helping the Government realize food self-sufficiency and improve farmers’ prosperities,” the President said.

Nevertheless, President Jokowi criticized IPB graduates who work in banks.

President Jokowi acknowledged that he has seen many examples of bank directors and managers who are IPB graduates.

“So, who will be farmers? This is the question that must be answered by the students,” the President said, adding that he was supposed to make that honest statement because it was based on data.

President Jokowi explained that Farmer’s Exchange Point (NTP) is something fundamental. Farmers, the President added, should receive the greatest benefits from farming sector. However, the current scheme does not allow farmers to enjoy the benefits, the President said. “So far, the biggest benefits are in business and agribusiness processes. This is what we must reform – on how to consolidate farmers so that they can play a bigger economic scale,” the President said, adding that farmers, fishermen, and breeders must be engaged in cooperation.

“They must be guided because we cannot let them work on 0.25 hectare of land separately,” the President firmly said.

According to the President, there must also be grand ideas. “We should shift the paradigm. There must be “upstream” to “downstream” in farming sector and we must prepare the process as well as the cooperation, President Jokowi added.

President Jokowi also believes that IPB is capable in preparing farmers to be included in those grand ideas. Therefore, the President added, Indonesia needs students with modern thinking and who are willing to work in farming sector.

President Jokowi also invited the students to educate the country’s farmers so that the ideas can be realized.  The President asserted that the Farmer’s Exchange Point will not be stronger if the farmers are not willing to cooperate.

“We should cooperate with farmers and fishermen, so that they can implement the “upstream” to “downstream” concept in their works,” President Jokowi concluded.

Also attending the event were First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education M. Nasir, West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, and IPB Rector Herry Suhardiyanto. (DND/JAY/ES)(RAS/EP/YM/Naster)