"That is part of the government`s medium-and long-term plans. This year, we will take the first step by adding 500,000 hectares to the existing agricultural land area," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said at an all-Indonesia governors` working meeting here Monday.
The addition of 500,000 hectares would be done in the Merauke region, Papua.
"For 2011, our target is an expansion by a minimum of 500,000 hectares and it will include the opening of food estates by the private sector and the community," he said.
He said many investors were interested in the food estate concept and the government had already provided them with the needed licenses. But he declined to identify the investors.
Hatta said the creation of more food producing regions needed to be sped up to make it easier for the government to ensure stability in food security.
"We can hasten the realization of the food estate concept because there is virtually no spatial problem in Papua province, Merauke district and some other regions in Indonesia. We need to open new food producing regions and this is the Agriculture Ministry`s task," he said.
According to him, the government needed to work together with every regional administration to face the food security problems, especially in avoiding farmland conversion.
The government, he added, also needed to open new area for increasing the farmers` welfare and production of rice as well as other commodities.
Hatta said the government should also invite investors to develop animal husbandry to boost the growth of the agricultural sector.
The all-Indonesia governors` working meeting was opened officially at 09.00 am local time by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Themed "Acceleration of Equitable Economic Growth Supported by Managed Stabilization and Center-Regions Synergy", the meeting was the fourth since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono assumed the presidency for a second term in 2009.
(SYS/KR-FNY/S012)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
