It will be the start of the successful cultivation of sorghum on Sumba Island.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province has the potential to become Sorghum Island, as it is suitable for cultivating the versatile crop, according to Chief of Presidential Staff (KSP) Moeldoko.

"I am sure that Sumba will become Sorghum Island," he remarked in a statement after visiting the sorghum cultivation area in Laipori Village, East Sumba District, NTT Province, on Friday.

Moeldoko noted that the people in Sumba Island were well-aware of the commodity since the region has dry land that is suitable to cultivate sorghum.

"Hence, the Agriculture Ministry has educated farmers to cultivate their land well, so it can be used to plant sorghum. We expect it to become a national food reserve in future," he stated.

Moeldoko, concurrently chairman of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI), noted that sorghum offers myriad benefits in the form of food, animal feed, and an energy source.

Sorghum contains high source of carbohydrates in the form of starch, soluble sugar, and fiber.

"The crop can also produce ethanol as a mixture for fuels," Moeldoko added.

The utilization of sorghum as a source of mixture for fuels has also been recommended by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) through a research titled "Potentials of Sorghum Pellets in Supporting Steam-electric Power Plants Co-firing Program."

On the same occasion, Director of Cereals of the Agriculture Ministry Ismail Wahab stated that the ministry pays serious attention to the development of sorghum in Indonesia.

He remarked that the sorghum development program was targeted to cover an area of 15 thousand hectares in 2022.

"We will plant sorghum on an area of four thousand hectares in Mamboro Sub-district, Central Sumba District, NTT Province. It will be the start of the successful cultivation of sorghum on Sumba Island," he remarked.

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Translator: Indra Pribadi, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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