Indonesia Starts Development of Food Estate Program in Central Kalimantan

KOMPAS.com – Central Kalimantan has been chosen as the site for Indonesia's new food barn to be established under the government's food estate program, said Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartanto on June 27.

Airlangga made the announcement during a visit to Pulang Pisau Regency and Kapuas Regency, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Land Planning Sofjan Djalil and Vice Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga, among other officials.

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For the first phase of the program, which encompasses the initial construction of the food barn, the government has provided 30,000 hectares of land in the regencies of Pulang Pisau and Kapuas.

Airlangga shared that President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo regularly reviews the food estate concept map, which is designed to be an integrated food center.

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“The goal for this is to realize the government’s target of improving productivity,” said Airlangga.

After the first phase of construction is completed, the government is aiming to allocate around 110,000 hectares of land for the second phase in 2022 and 2023.

“The government will continue to rehabilitate land areas measuring 600,000 hectares which will be the location of the food estate and modern agriculture,” said Airlangga.

Airlangga, who is also the Chairman of the Golkar Party, said that he will invite investors and the government to prepare the area in a bid to turn it into a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

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Airlangga hopes that the food estate program can be successfully implemented within an SEZ.

Governor of Central Kalimantan Sugianto Sabran who accompanied Airlangga also asked for the active participation of Central Kalimantan’s residents in the food estate program.

The program is part of the government’s effort to designate an area that integrates agriculture, forestry, and farming.

The new food barn project is included in Indonesia’s National Strategic Projects 2020–2024.

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The food estate program is the government’s second priority after the development of five National Strategic Tourism Areas.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has partnered with the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises for the development of the food estate program. 

(Writer: Yakob Arfin Tyas Sasongko, Suhaiela Bahfein | Editor: Agung Dwi E, Hilda B Alexander) 

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/27/20130011/bangun-food-estate-tahap-1-airlangga--pemerintah-siapkan-lahan-30.000

https://properti.kompas.com/read/2020/06/10/110135721/food-estate-165000-hektar-eks-lahan-gambut-siap-berproduksi-tahun-2022