Rice Field Development Program Accelerates National Food Self-Sufficiency Program
By: Rivka Mayangsari*)
In order to realize the ideal of national food self-sufficiency, the government through the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) continues to boost the rice field printing program as a strategic step to strengthen the agricultural sector. This step is considered very important to increase land productivity and answer the challenge of increasing food needs. By optimizing land potential, this program is expected to be the driving force for food self-sufficiency in Indonesia.
The Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, stated that the Ministry of Agriculture has prepared various strategic steps to accelerate the achievement of food self-sufficiency. He explained that in 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to strengthen the rice field printing program, circulation, and support for production facilities and infrastructure to increase national rice production. The Minister also emphasized that his party encourages all levels of the Ministry of Agriculture to work optimally to make the program a success.
Furthermore, Minister Amran explained that one of the key strategies in the rice field printing program is the circulation concept, namely efforts to increase agricultural productivity, especially on land that has not previously been optimally utilized, such as swamp land. This program aims not only to expand the planting area, but also to optimize existing land so that it can produce more in an efficient and sustainable manner.
Indonesia has a very large potential for swamp land that has not been utilized optimally. With a technological and innovation approach, swamp land that was previously considered less productive can now be transformed into fertile agricultural land. Through the rice field printing program, the Ministry of Agriculture utilizes the swamp land to support the increase in national rice production.
According to Minister Amran, the success of this program depends on the synergy between the central government, regional governments, and the community. He emphasized that optimization of swamp land and strengthening collaboration with various parties continues to be carried out. In addition, support in the form of assistance for agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan), superior seeds, and fertilizers has also been prepared so that this program can run smoothly.
In addition to focusing on land optimization, the Ministry of Agriculture also pays great attention to increasing the capacity of human resources (HR) in the agricultural sector. The Head of the Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development Agency (BPPSDMP) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Idha Widi Arsanti, stated that his party is committed to supporting the acceleration of food self-sufficiency with sustainable innovation.
He said that with continuous support, it is hoped that agricultural products, including horticultural types, can increase and support the food self-sufficiency program. Idha Widi Arsanti also said that increasing the capacity of farmers through training, mentoring, and introduction of modern technology is the main priority of the Ministry of Agriculture.
This capacity increase is believed to encourage farmers to be more adaptive to changes in technology and modern agricultural methods. That way, agricultural production is expected to increase both in terms of quantity and quality.
The rice field printing program is not only the responsibility of the government, but also requires full support from the community. The Head of the Central Kalimantan Food Crops, Horticulture, and Livestock Service (TPHP), Sunarti, encouraged the community to actively participate in supporting this program. He said that the rice field printing program initiated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia is very beneficial for the agricultural sector and hopes that the community can see this program as a more sustainable alternative than just relying on oil palm plantations.
Muhammad Yusuf also highlighted the importance of direct community involvement in the implementation of this program. According to him, the success of the rice field printing program will not only have an impact on food security, but also open up new economic opportunities for local communities. He added that this program is more than just a food estate, because it has developed into a modern food estate concept that is integrated and sustainable. The rice field printing program is now not just an effort to expand agricultural land, but has developed into a strategic initiative to realize a modern food estate. A modern food estate is a concept that integrates various aspects of agriculture, such as land management, technology, and markets, to create an efficient and sustainable agricultural system.
