I urge related stakeholders to increase productivity and independence in the food and energy sectors
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called to increase food and energy productivity since both sectors were critical for the future.

"I urge related stakeholders to increase productivity and independence in the food and energy sectors. In future, the world will face two problems in the areas of food and energy. These are very critical," Jokowi noted at the State Palace, Thursday.

Jokowi made the statement at the opening of the 2022 National Development Planning Conference also attended by Coordinating Minister for the Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Manoarfa, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, and related officials.

"Fortunately, we have the power here in Indonesia. Hence, to increase productivity and independence in the food and energy sector, we must focus on working together and monitoring it very well," Jokowi affirmed.

The head of state also pressed for working towards increasing investment that would create more job opportunities.

"This will become a contest between countries. If our licensing service is not fast, both at the center and in the regions, please immediately simplify and accelerate to serve everything related to investment," he emphasized.

Jokowi also noted that ministries, institutions, and local governments must look for alternative sources of financing.

"We can no longer depend on the state budget and regional budget. Hence, we must be creative in finding new innovative funding sources by continuously increasing investment," he remarked.

Jokowi acknowledged that in 2022 and 2023, Indonesia will face a difficult situation as well as a volatile and uncertain global economic and political situation.

"The pandemic is not completely over. Several countries are still struggling to suppress the spread of COVID-19 with lockdown. Then, there is a supply chain disruption that has an impact everywhere," he noted.

Moreover, the president pointed out that the world was hit by a conflict between Russia and Ukraine that caused an energy and food crisis.

"Those would cause global inflation and a decline in economic growth," he remarked.

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Translator: Desca Lidya N, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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