President Jokowi Calls for More Serious and Detailed Development of Agricultural Sector

President Jokowi inaugurates the Opening of 2021 Agricultural Development National Working Meeting, Monday (11/01), at the State Palace, Jakarta. (Photo by: PR / Jay)

Developing agricultural sector should be carried out more seriously and in detail as the sector plays an increasingly more important role amid the pandemic, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.

“We have to take food management and agricultural development seriously,” the President said during the Opening of the 2021 National Working Meeting of Agricultural Development, Monday (11/01).

The National Working Meeting with the theme “Strengthening the Role of Agricultural Sector in Supporting Economic Growth amid the COVID-19 Pandemic” aims to discuss the work program of Ministry of Agriculture in 2021.

The meeting was joined by 1,300 participants attending the event either face-to-face or virtually.

“As you may be aware, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned of a looming food crisis as world food distribution is constrained due to restrictions on the people’s mobility and goods distribution between countries,” the President added.

The Head of State also cited an example of the soaring price of imported soybeans recently that has brought an impact on tofu and tempeh producers in the country.

Therefore, the President stressed that agricultural development for agricultural commodities such as soybeans, corn, sugar, and garlic, all of which are currently still being imported, is of great importance.

“We have not imported rice for almost two years. I want to see what conditions are on the ground, whether we’ll consistently do it for the coming years,” he said, while calling for an agricultural development scheme to address the matter (importing commodities). (TGH/UN) (MUR/EP)