"This agency is new, but the important value of this agriculture instrument is that it is something that we need to become more modern in the future," Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo noted.
"The research and development (agency) is over, but the agriculture instrument (BSIP) should become better than what came before," he noted through a statement on Tuesday.
The BSIP, unveiled on December 16, 2022, was formed in accordance with the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 117 of 2022 on the Agriculture Ministry on September 21, 2022.
According to Limpo, the agriculture sector is a sector that the global population needed the most. In fact, agriculture is the most strategic sector for a nation's security.
Moreover, agriculture cannot develop well without research and development as well as the agriculture instrument.
"To this end, we launched an agriculture instrument toward an important process in our journey to develop agriculture," he remarked.
The existence of BSIP can be a very strong capital in making agriculture a solution for various global issues, the minister noted.
Head of BSIP Fadjry Djufry emphasized the government's commitment in realizing developed, independent, and modern agriculture, such as through the Agrostandard Program.
"We have planned various steps within the Agrostandard Program, starting from institution strengthening, collaboration with partners for improvement to standardized seed production management," he remarked.
The Agrostandard Program encompasses five aspects that comprise management transformation and reorientation in terms of institution, human resources, work culture, and digital.
Moreover, there is strengthening of multi-partner collaboration with the internal party, such as the Agriculture Ministry Directorate General, or external parties, such as universities, regional governments, MSMEs, businessmen, farmers, private sector, and international partners.
It also involves the standardized agriculture zone model across Indonesia for food crops, horticulture, plantation, and animal farming commodities.
The program also encompasses the standardized seed production unit (UPBS) as well as formation of the Product Certification Institution (LSPro), he added.
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Translator: Subagyo, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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