Government Holds Training to Improve Competence to Accelerate Food Self-Sufficiency
Central Kalimantan – The government through the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) continues to show its seriousness in realizing national food self-sufficiency. One of the strategic efforts made is holding training to improve competence for Food Brigade (BP) personnel in various regions, including Central Kalimantan. The Lembang Agricultural Training Center (BBPP) has trained 465 batches during April in six districts, namely Kapuas, South Barito, East Barito, Seruyan, East Kotawaringin, and West Kotawaringin.
The three-day training for each batch is designed to improve technical skills in managing farming businesses and operating agricultural machinery (alsintan). Participants are given materials covering the introduction, operation, maintenance of agricultural machinery such as tractors, rice transplanters, and combine harvesters, to more efficient and environmentally friendly plant cultivation strategies.
The Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, emphasized that modernizing the agricultural sector is a top priority in facing the challenges of food security.
“The use of agricultural machinery not only cuts labor costs, but is also able to speed up the cultivation process and reduce post-harvest losses,” he said.
According to him, increasing agricultural productivity will be difficult to achieve without competent human resources and adequate technology.
Head of the Agricultural Training Center, Inneke Kusumawaty, also said that this training is a real form of strengthening human resource capacity at the field level.
“The Ministry of Agriculture is trying to improve the competence of the Food Brigade in managing agricultural machinery. Synergy between the center and regions is the key to success,” said Inneke. He added that the Center through the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) continues to expand the reach of training to various provinces.
Moreover, the training that has been expanded to various provinces shows the government’s seriousness in not making agriculture a marginal sector. This step also answers the challenge of farmer regeneration which has been a national concern. By increasing capacity through technical training, young farmers and the Food Brigade will be more confident in managing land efficiently and productively.
In North Kalimantan, especially Malinau Regency, agricultural human resource training is also driven by the commitment of the local government. Through the PESAT Food Task Force program, the Malinau Regency Government recruited around 200 residents to strengthen local food security. The Food Brigade in this area has been spread across seven points with a coverage of more than 1,000 hectares of land.
With collaboration between the central and regional governments, as well as the active involvement of farmers and extension workers, this training is expected to be a concrete step in boosting agricultural productivity and towards sustainable national food self-sufficiency.
