Sampoerna committed to helping farmers

PT Sampoerna is committed to helping solve problems facing farmers under the Sampoerna for Indonesia program.

The hike in the price of agricultural materials and a reduction in irrigation water availability have led to a decrease in agricultural land totaling 2.8 million hectares per annum, according to Agus Susewo, the head of land optimization at the Agriculture Ministry.

Agus made the remarks at a workshop on System of Rice Intensification at the Sampoerna Entrepreneurship Training Center earlier this year. In response to the problems facing farmers, PT Sampoerna has been running the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) dissemination program in Sukeredjo district, Pasuruan, East Java.

With the method, local farmers can plant paddy efficiently in terms of water usage, time and cost but can increase production by seven to 14 tons per hectare. - JP