Farmers can reap many benefits through Makmur Program: SOEs MinistryKarawang, W Java (ANTARA) - Farmers joining state-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia’s (Persero) Prosperity (Makmur) program will enjoy increased agricultural productivity and income, Special Staff III of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister, Arya Sinulingga, has claimed.
Makmur program, which stands for ‘Mari Kita Majukan Usaha Rakyat’ (Let’s Advance People’s Business) was launched in August 2021. It seeks to provide an ecosystem that connects farmers with project leaders, insurance providers, financial institutions, agricultural technology providers, off-takers, and local governments.
"Through the Makmur program, agricultural production can increase from 7 tons per hectare to 8–9 tons per hectare," the special staff said in Rawamerta sub-district, Karawang District, West Java Province, on Thursday.
The implementation of the program in Rawamerta Sub-district was the first collaboration with PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) in the application of precision agriculture technology, he noted.
The corporation, which is a subsidiary of state-owned telecommunication company PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero), will be included in the Makmur program ecosystem, Sinulingga informed.
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Furthermore, the special staff invited farmers in Karawang District to join the program, saying the region is among the national rice granaries and therefore, needs better agricultural assistance.
"People's business credit (KUR) can be obtained quickly by farmers for the growing season. In addition, if the plants are attacked by pests, there will be insurance from state-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jasa Indonesia (Jasindo); thus, the farmers will not lose," he affirmed.
Meanwhile, Production Director of PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) Bob Indiarto said that the Makmur program has run smoothly due to the support of stakeholders involved in the ecosystem.
"To date, the program has been carried out on 66,371 hectares agricultural land and involved 48,404 farmers," he informed.
The Makmur program in Rawamerta Sub-district will be implemented on 11.6 hectares of paddy fields and supported by PT Pupuk Indonesia Pangan (PIP) as the off-taker, PT Pupuk Kujang Cikampek as the project leader, and PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) as the capital credit provider, Sinulingga added.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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