Optimize Land Use amid Threat of Food Crisis: Indonesia’s VP

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin underscored the importance of increasing agricultural production to ensure the national food stocks during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Agricultural intensification is one of the efforts to increase agricultural productivity by using the existing agricultural land most effectively,” Ma’ruf said in his speech during an online national symposium held at Hasanuddin University in Makasar on Tuesday, September 1.

He said that the intensification of agriculture comprises a set of farming programs such as the selection of superior seed, creating healthy soil for cultivation, proper fertilization, control of pests, and irrigation. It also includes the programs of post-harvest process and marketing, he said.

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“The efforts to increase agricultural productivity need to be done in full force by making productivity higher on small farms,” he said.

He also noted the negative effects of agricultural land conversion, especially paddy field areas into non-agricultural land that could be one of the threats to food security.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had previously addressed the issue of food shortages globally due to the coronavirus crisis. FAO has asked major food producers to take necessary actions in safeguarding their domestic food reserves.

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Other steps taken to counter any anticipated food shortages and crises include diversification, strengthening regional government rice reserves, and community food barn.

(Writer: Deti Mega Purnamasari | Editor: Fabian Januarius Kuwado)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/01/12411701/antisipasi-krisis-pangan-wapres-optimalkan-lahan-pertanian.