We have to increase food stocks since the threat of a food crisis is imminentSolo (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo urged all parties, including the local governments and farmers, to participate in anticipating the world food crisis through approaches, such as by increasing domestic food stocks.
"We have to increase food stocks since the threat of a food crisis is imminent," Limpo stated at the commemoration of the 50th National Agricultural Day and the IP400 harvest activity in Tegal Sari Village, Weru Sub-district, Sukoharjo District, Central Java, Wednesday.
He also urged related parties to strengthen their resolve and enthusiasm to realize advanced, independent, and modern agriculture.
On the occasion, the minister planted IP400 rice covering an area of 257 hectares in Tegal Sari Village. The IP400 Movement was initially started in 2021 on an area of 9,834 hectares in 23 provinces and 98 districts and cities in Indonesia. The IP400 Movement was a government program in optimizing farmers to conduct planting in their rice fields four times in a year, thereby also enabling to harvest rice four times per year.
Furthermore, the IP400 development will be continued in 2022 on an area of 150 thousand hectares in 27 provinces and 169 districts and cities.
In Sukuharjo District, the IP400 Movement has been conducted since 2021 on an area of 2,088 hectares.
"In 2022, the development of IP400 in Sukoharjo will cover an area of 10 thousand hectares in 124 villages in 12 sub-districts across Sukoharjo District," Limpo explained.
The minister noted that the IP400 program is a new innovation to motivate all parties related in the agriculture sector.
"If we plant it only twice a year, then it is normal. However, if we can plant it four times a year, then it is extraordinary," he remarked.
On the same occasion, Head of Sukoharjo District, Etik Suryani, stated that it took hard work to convince farmers in starting the IP400 Movement.
"In this case, we are intensely coordinating directions with the sub-district head to attract the farmers' interest. Farmers are also expected to not let the land fall apart and optimize it with IP400," Suryani added.
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Translator: Aris Wasita, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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