The minister lauded the innovative Ratun R5 method developed by the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology Alumni Association (IKA ITS) for planting rice.
"I really appreciate the efforts that have been made by the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology Alumni Association and the team in making the Ratun R5 rice planting innovation. I hope that IKA ITS can continue its innovation in agriculture, to increase the productivity of agricultural products, so it can contribute to Indonesia's food resilience," Pandjaitan remarked during the harvesting of Ratun R5 rice in Karawang, West Java, on Friday.
The R5 Ratun rice innovation can support the economy and national food resilience in times of uncertainty, and increase the level of domestic components (TKDN), in accordance with President Joko Widodo's directive, he said.
"Progress in agriculture will greatly support the national economy, especially in the midst of global economic uncertainty and the existing COVID-19 pandemic, although it is slowly getting better today," he said.
Ratun R5 is a rice cultivation model under which one seed planting in a year can produce multiple harvests.
This planting model has been developed under a collaboration between IKA ITS and the regional government of Karawang, West Java.
There are various advantages of the Ratun R5 method, mainly because one seed planting can lead to four harvests, without the need for planting seeds again, in a year.
With this, the production of paddy fields per year can increase, production costs decrease, the period from planting to harvesting (60 days) can become shorter, the utilization of paddy fields can be optimized, and employment and income generated for agricultural workers throughout the year.
Ratun R5 technology was patented under IDS number 000003098 on July 30, 2020.
"This is really 100-percent made in Indonesia," ITS Rector Mochammad Ashari said.
Using the Ratun R5 method, three harvests have been produced as of April 2022.
State-owned food company PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (PT RNI) is also involved in an initiative to develop a Ratun R5 factory.
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Translator: Ade Irma J, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati
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