President Jokowi: Belu Food Estate to Improve People’s Welfare in E. Nusa Tenggara

President Jokowi plants corn in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, Thursday (03/24). (Photo captured from Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Thursday (03/24), inspected the process of planting corn in a food estate located in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara province.

“I am in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara province. We have cleared 53 hectares of land to be planted with corn,” the President said.

He added that irrigation system of the cornfield uses sprinkler which water is sourced from Rotiklot Dam.

The Head of State went on to say that the Government has planned to expand food estate area in that region to 500 hectares. If the food estate produces good yield, 15,000 more hectares of food estate will be developed in other regions.

According to him, the use of technology and innovation is necessary to cultivate a more challenging type of land, such as in East Nusa Tenggara province. Therefore, areas of improvement, and suitable agricultural tools and machinery for the soil can be discovered.

President Jokowi expressed belief that the food estate will improve people’s welfare in the province, particularly in Belu regency. In general, he added, food estate is expected to strengthen national food resilience through the opening of new cropland.

“We look forward to the yield and we will calculate profit of the farmers from it. After that, we will expand the area,” he stated. (FID/AIT/ST) (RAS/MMB)