"In meeting food needs, urban farming activities are one of the solutions that need to be pursued together," Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono remarked while handing over the assistance here on Saturday.
Hartono expected that hydroponic racks would be able to ignite the enthusiasm of santri (Islamic boarding school students) in implementing urban farming and realizing food independence in the pesantren environment.
Meanwhile, Head of the Jakarta KPKP Office, Suharini Eliawati, stated that 50 hydroponic racks were given to 25 Islamic boarding schools in Jakarta.
The Islamic boarding schools that received the assistance symbolically were representatives of Al Hamid school in East Jakarta; Darunnajah in South Jakarta; Minhajut Tholibin in West Jakarta; Al Wathoniyah 43 in North Jakarta; and Minhaajurrosidin in East Jakarta.
Eliawati said that her side is ready to support and assist Islamic boarding schools in the capital in developing urban farming in their environments.
"Santri (Islamic boarding school students) can also learn urban farming methods and produce local food products by utilizing the limited land as well as participate in the movement to realize independent food security in Indonesia," she stated.
Meanwhile, the 2022 National Santri Day 2022 was themed "Empowered to Maintain the Dignity of Humanity," Head of the Jakarta Religious Affairs Office Cecep Khairul Anwar remarked.
This theme is expected to motivate santri to become more empowered in improving themselves.
"The urban farming concept, which uses chemical pesticides minimally, can produce healthier and fresher agricultural products," Anwar remarked.
In addition to hydroponic racks, the Jakarta provincial government planted cipedak avocado, garifta mango, condet-variant duku (Lansium parasiticum), Jamaican guava, and rapiah-variant rambutan trees.
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Translator: Dewa W, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
