"Our agricultural challenges cannot be separated from our daily cultural issues. Our culture is rooted in agriculture," Zon remarked during the opening of the second Farmers' School, as quoted from his statement here on Saturday.
He noted that in every stage of planting and harvesting, various ceremonies, prayers, and rituals are always held to honor God and the fertile nature.
According to the minister, every region across the country possesses local wisdom that is crucial for the agricultural sector, citing the example of a traditional irrigation system called subak in Bali that manages irrigation for rice farming.
"This is a very important best practice, as subak has become part of the local wisdom recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as part of the world heritage," Zon explained.
Similarly, the food sector has also been prioritized for cultural advancement under Law Number 5 of 2017 regarding the Advancement of Culture.
To this end, he remarked that the Ministry of Culture supports agricultural programs related to culture, such as steps to diversify food sources and promote local foods.
He explained that diversifying local food sources encompassed promoting corn, sago, sorghum, or other food corps in the community.
"Local foods can play a key role in our efforts to achieve self-sufficiency. Food self-sufficiency should also be understood as more than just availability and sovereignty, but also about diversification," he affirmed.
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Translator: M Alatas, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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