President Jokowi Plants “Genjah” Coconut Trees with Farmers in Boyolali, C. Java Province

President Jokowi plants “genjah” coconut trees, in Boyolali, Central Java province (Photo: PR Office of Cabinet Secretariat / Dindha)

President Joko”Jokowi” Widodo planted “genjah” coconut trees (a variety of coconut tree that has a shorter trunk and produces more coconuts in a shorter period) together with farmers in Giriroto village, Ngemplak district, Boyolali regency, Central Java province, on Thursday (08/11).

The occasion which was joined by around 100 farmers was a part of the efforts to anticipate current food crisis that hit the world.

“More than 300 million people are currently facing acute food insecurity and in hunger. In some countries, it starts showing, and if there is no solution, it is estimated that 800 million people will face food insecurity and will be in hunger,” President Jokowi said.

President Jokowi encouraged Ministry of Agriculture to use vacant plots of land and also encouraged the people to grow food plants.

“We want the vacant plots of land to be productive. Such as chili peppers, it is supposed to be grown in households in villages, whether in polybags or in the yards, so we are not having chili peppers shortage or a drastically increasing price of the chili peppers. This is what the Ministry of Agriculture has just started to do.” the President added.

“Genjah” coconut trees that have just been planted, President further explained, have a lot of benefits since it can produce coconut oil and brown sugar, and it can also be made for drinks.

“We can plant in vacant plots of land, like we are doing now, planting “genjah” coconut that can produce about 180 coconuts within two years, two and a half years, or even a year. It can produce brown sugar and coconut oil, and it can also be made for drinks,” the President said.

The planting event held under the theme “Spread Genjah Coconut” (KEJAR) done by President Jokowi was one of the agenda of “Free Farming”. The planting was initiated in Solo city and its greater area (including Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, and Boyolali regencies) targeting 200 thousand trees planted in stages and spread in those three regencies.

“I think we should continue to do this. We will plant 46 thousand of “genjah” coconuts in Boyolali regency, 44 thousand in Karanganyar regency, and 110 thousand in Sukoharjo regency. We plant it here first, and later, we will plant it in other provinces where coconuts can grow well. We aim to plant approximately one million of “genjah” coconuts,” President Jokowi said.

Besides coconut trees, other plants were also being planted, such as corns and chili seeds.

Accompanying President Jokowi in the occasion were the First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Agriculture Syahril Yasin Limpo, and Governor of Central Java province Ganjar Pranowo. (SLN/UN)(AW/MUR)