"The target is like what I have said in Sidrap that within three years we must be self-sufficent in food and stop imports," Jokowi said.Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo has said his government is targeting achieving food self-sufficiency in three years.
"The target is like what I have said in Sidrap that within three years we must be self-sufficent in food and stop imports," he said after conducting a rice harvest in Barang Palier in the district of Pinrang during his visit to South Sulawesi on Wednesday.
Jokowi as the president is also popularly called is scheduled to tour Sulawesi on November 5-6.
On Wednesday morning he visited Sidrap district to mark the development of an irrigation network.
President Jokowi said South Sulawesi would be made into a national rice producing region for the countrys eastern region.
In connection with that improving irrigation networks would be a priority with regard to increasing production although the region has already had a rice surplus.
"We know that South Sulawesi is already surplus of rice but with the irrigation improvement production is expected to increase 35 percent. This is what we are going to achieve. In some locations the irrigation networks have not yet been rehabilitated," he said.
President Jokowi was inaugurated only on October 21. This was the second tour after his inauguration after he visited evacuees of Mount Sinabung eruption in North Sumatra.
In his visit to Sulawesi President Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana, minister state secretary Pratikno, minister okf public works Basuki Hadimuljono and agriculture minister Amran Sulaiman.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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