The food estate project to be implemented in alluvial areas on ex-Peatland Development (PLG) land will continue to promote sustainable agricultural ecosystems, Momon Rusmono, secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture, stated here on Tuesday.
"The land use strategy in Central Kalimantan does not merely pursue production and processed products but also takes into account environmental aspects, especially peatland conservation," Rusmono noted during a webinar on Optimizing Peat Land Use to Support Food Estate Development.
The Ministry of Agriculture will work along with several ministries and agencies, including with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), for the preparations of AMDAL (Environmental Impact Assessment) and land certificates as well as for the utilization of social forestry for agricultural businesses, he remarked.
Later, the grand design of the food estate program will not only be implemented in Central Kalimantan but also in Humbang Hasundutan, North Sumatra, and Maluku.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture noted that a functional land spanning 85 thousand hectares (ha) where agricultural infrastructure existed was the most pertinent option for the optimization of ex-PLG swamps.
However, in the nascent stages, the government will work on a land area covering 30 thousand ha comprising some 20 thousand ha in Kapuas District and 10 thousand ha in Pulang Pisau District to catch up with the planting season of October 2020-March 2021.
The food estate project is the government’s response as a precautionary measure by Indonesia against the threat of a food crisis, as warned by the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
"With this policy on the program, it is expected that the FAO's concerns over the dangers of food shortages, expected to occur in various countries, including Indonesia, would be addressed properly," he affirmed. Related news: C Kalimantan's food estate expansion over 30,000-ha land area: Jokowi
Related news: Other regions can emulate C Kalimantan food estate development: Jokowi
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Translator: Fardah Assegaf
Editor: Suharto
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