Jokowi said that farmers should no longer apply traditional patterns in farming on account of a worker shortage in the agricultural sector. Hence, modern machinery, such as alsintan, could help farmers to harvest their plants.
"We have innovated effective machines for farmers. We have an alsintan taxi program wherein farmers can rent these machinery tools," he stated.
Alsintan can be owned by accessing bank credit with support from information technology to strengthen the business of the alsintan management institution.
The alsintan taxi business unit includes machinery rental services encompassing land tillage, planting, and harvesting services; service and workshop services; and provision of spare parts.
Some 300 units of machinery at the event comprised 70 combine harvesters, 80 four-wheeled tractors, 100 cultivators, and 50 water pump units.
In addition to distributing agricultural machinery, Jokowi inaugurated a mango-based food estate in the Sukodono Reservoir area.
The president stated that this food estate spans an area of one thousand hectares spread over 22 villages and four sub-districts of Panceng, Dukun, Ujung Pangkah, and Sidayu that have been integrated into one area.
Development of the mango food estate in Panceng Sub-district is a pioneering work of the Directorate General of Horticulture of the Ministry of Agriculture.
This program is also a follow-up to the directive of Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo at the G20 meeting in Italy recently.
Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, East Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General Nico Afinta, head of Gresik District Fandi Akhmad Yani, along with the East Java and Gresik District officials accompanied the president.
Head of Gresik District Fandi Akhmad Yani lauded President Jokowi's steps in launching a food estate in Panceng Sub-district.
"Hopefully, later, Gresik will be successful in running the food security program," he remarked.
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Translator: Abdul Hakim, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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