Press Conference of the President of the Republic of Indonesia After Inspecting Cash for Work Program To Accelerate Irrigation Water Use Improvement (P3-TGAI) Thursday, 9 July, 2020 at Belanti Siam Village, Pandih Batu District, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Today, from the morning to the afternoon I was in Kapuas Regency, and now I am in Pulang Pisau Regency in Central Kalimantan Province. We are planning a food estate or a food barn and the project has been underway since two weeks ago, especially for the irrigation sector. This year, God willing, we will complete approximately 30,000 hectares, and in the next one and a half year or two years we will provide 148,000 more hectares, both in Pulang Pisau Regency and Kapuas Regency. I think all of us are aware that the FAO has warned us against the food crisis that will occur due to the pandemic (COVID-19) and due to unmanageable and unpredictable season.

 To that end, we are currently preparing the national logistic reserve, which will be managed by an agency, and the agency will have special purpose vehicle that will be able to work under investment scheme with State-Owned Enterprises, or under other schemes. And the leading sector, since it relates to our strategic food reserve, will be under Minister of Defense, supported by Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing. We hope that there will be full support from the Governor and the Regents.

We hope that our strategic food reserve can provide food supply, including rice, cassava, corn, or chili, if food shortage occurs. Everything will be managed here and if there is any oversupply, we will export the food to other countries.

I think that concludes my remarks on this auspicious occasion. For the technical implementation, you may ask Mr. Prabowo, or Minister of Agriculture, or Minister of Public Works and Public Housing.

Translated by Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by Yuyu Mulyani