President said if Indonesia only grumbled and complained, it will not be able to do anything to deal with global problems that could affect life in the country.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said because of the complexity of today`s global problems Indonesia must actively take part in efforts to solve them lest it lose out or become a victim of their impact.

Speaking at a gathering with farmers and representatives of farmer groups and stakeholders of national food resilience at the presidential palace here on Tuesday, the President said if Indonesia only grumbled and complained, it will not be able to do anything to deal with global problems that could affect life in the country.

"What has now become issues such as food and energy problems and drought in Africa and several other countries, plant diseases and other aspects of climate change have indeed disrupted the pattern of agriculture," he said.

He said the current economic crisis in Europe and fear over rising world oil prices should become a warning to all elements of the nation to take anticipatory measures so that their impact would not disrupt the country`s economy and national life.

"Food will be a determining issue with regard to our future. We in Indonesia must do something actively and concretely. It will be wrong and we will only lose if we do nothing and are passive under the present circumstances. We must not only be alert but must also be active," he said.

Besides the food issue, President Yudhoyono also saw potential problems with regard to the threat of world crude price increases due to a number of problems.

"The price of crude is now US$100 per barrel after peaking at US$145 per barrel in 2008. Now a global crisis is happening again triggered by the financial crisis in Europe but strangely the price of oil remains (at US$100)," he said.

He said a lot of factors affect the world crude price "such as speculation by global traders, geo-politics and increasing tension in Iran and North Africa which have all created uncertainty in the world crude price."

He said producers certainly always wish to profit as much as possible and so they like if the price is high. In the current era states often lose to multi-national corporations and this is the weakness of the global capitalist system, he said.

Therefore, the President called on all parties especially policy makers in the food and energy sectors in the country to keep monitoring developments at global level so that they would not be wrong when taking a decision at national or local levels.

Earlier in the day, the President presented d awards to local leaders and community members who contributed in an outstanding way to the national food resilience campaign launched by the government.

Sixteen people received food resilience awards, seven food resilience pioneer awards and 25 food resilience creative technology user awards.

Several provincial governors attended the event such as Sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta, Bibit Waluyo of Central Java along with a number of district heads from other regions.

Cabinet ministers who attended the ceremony were agriculture minister Suswono, minister/state secretary Sudi Silalahi and public works minister Djoko Kirmanto.

Minister Suswono said in his speech that the awards presentation had been done since 1979 and in 2001 the criteria had been expanded to cover not only productivity but also food resilience service, technology use and food resilience development.

Sixteen recipients in the food resilience development category include governor Bibit Waluyo, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, Riau governor HM Rusli Zainal and South Sulawesi governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo.

Among district heads that recieved awards were Hasyim Afandi, the district head of Temanggung, Central Java, Amri Tambunan, the district head of Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, H.A Sutomo, the district head of Sopeng, South Sulawesi, and Sumantri, the district head of Magetan, East Java.

Village heads who recieved the awards were Budi Utomo from Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, Mustika Sanggana from Tampumea, South Sulawesi, Amrizal from Kandang Baru, West Sumatra, Diding Wahyudin from Cipakem, Kuningan, West Java and Noto Siswanto from Karanggintung, Banyumas, Central Java.

Food resilience pioneer awards were handed to Julius Elseos Louhenapessy of Pattimura University, Nur Azizah of Depok, Dalikem of Triwidadi, Bantul, Yogyakarta, Ambarwati Hernawan of Tangerang, Banten, Agus Saptana Dharmawah of Bantaeng, South Sulawesi, Mustopa of Semarang and Lumbung Pangan Bumi Asri Group from Ogan Komering Ulu.

Other recipients included 13 others in the category of food relience service and 20 others in the category of food resilience creative technology use.

"They have all shown extraordinary achievements. They will all receive `Adi Karya Pangan Nusantara` awards," he said.

The total number of award recipients was 61 individuals and a group.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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