God has given us abundant natural resources and large market.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir highlighted the government's focus on transforming the food cluster enterprises by improving their human resources and business ecosystem.

"Henceforth, until the next year, food sector will be our main focus," Thohir stated while delivering a speech at the 57th anniversary of PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) and the commemoration of World Food Day here on Tuesday.

Hence, the minister spoke of not hesitating to reshuffle the directors or commissioners of the SOEs that failed to perform well.

Furthermore, he encouraged RNI, as the head of the food cluster companies, to focus on a market-oriented food supply chain system.

He also expects other members of the cluster to further improve their performance by optimizing the potential of Indonesia as an agrarian country.


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"God has given us abundant natural resources and a large market," he noted.

In addition, Thohir has urged that the enterprises’ business ecosystem benefit the people by creating several job opportunities and encouraging the development of small, micro, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Currently, the ministry is conducting ‘Makmur’ (means prosperous) Program through collaboration among farmers, SOE food clusters, and state-owned fertilizer holding PT Pupuk Indonesia.


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The program provides seedlings, fertilizers, financing, and guidance assistance to farmers to increase their productivity and to offer added value to their products.

"The program aims to ensure that the farmers have received the fertilizer on time, have excellent seedlings, obtained assistance and financing, as well as found offtakers. Regarding the offtakers, I encourage RNI to cooperate with the private sector," the minister affirmed.

Thohir expected that the transformation of SOEs will help to establish sound food security in Indonesia, thereby ending the country's dependence on imports.


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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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