The president stated that this modern method also helped transform less productive swamp land into rice fields to boost regional production.
"Today, the agriculture minister and South Sumatra governor invited me to observe the land improvement from unproductive swampy land to rice fields with the most modern techniques," Prabowo remarked during his speech at the event on Wednesday.
However, the president did not provide further details about the specific agricultural technologies used to convert the swamp land into rice fields.
He mentioned only the use of drone technology for sowing rice seeds in the swamp land.
"I tried it myself. The drone sows the seeds with the ability to cover 25 hectares of land in one day," he stated.
Hence, Prabowo expressed optimism that the swamp land would become a new food barn in South Sumatra.
"Later, this land will become productive rice fields. The South Sumatra Province will be able to produce four million tons of rice per year from the previous three million tons," he noted.
Prabowo also expressed optimism in realizing a second Green Revolution in Indonesia, following the first Green Revolution initiated during the second President Soeharto's administration.
He then emphasized the idea of realizing food self-sufficiency in Indonesia, believing the country also has the potential to become the world's food barn.
Prabowo also expressed his gratitude to Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman and his ranks, the regional government, and all farmers in Ogan Ilir and South Sumatra.
"Everyone works together from all regions. We increase our capabilities, and we can raise the income of our farmers," he noted.
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Translator: Genta Tenri/Suci Nurhaliza, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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