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East Kalimantan sets aside 400,000 hectares for agricultural development
The East Kalimantan provincial administration has set aside a 400,000-hectare plot of land for agricultural development for investors, including the Indonesia Military as represented by Kodam (Military Command) VI/Mulawarman, in an effort to help overcome a possible food crisis
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he East Kalimantan provincial administration has set aside a 400,000-hectare plot of land for agricultural development for investors, including the Indonesia Military as represented by Kodam (Military Command) VI/Mulawarman, in an effort to help overcome a possible food crisis.
'As the provincial administration's funds are limited, we need support from third parties, including the Indonesian Military, to help develop the agricultural sector through the creation of new rice fields,' East Kalimantan Governor Awang Faroek Ishak said on Monday.
Awang made the statement after signing a memorandum of understanding with Kodam VI/Mulawarman commander Maj. Gen. Dicky W. Usman on the development of rice fields to be financed with funds from the 2014 budget.
Awang said that investment opportunities had been available since 2011 and private firm PT Nusa Agra Mandiri from Solaria Group has been licensed to develop 300 hectares of rice fields in Bulungan regency.
He added that the provincial administration will continue to intensify its commitment with regional administrations to further develop the agricultural sector, with the aim of providing adequate supplies of food in the province.
'East Kalimantan is one of the largest and most resource-rich provinces in Indonesia, but we are hindered by a highly uneven population distribution, thereby causing slow agricultural and horticultural development. In order to overcome the challenges, East Kalimantan authorities are striving to become self-reliant in food production,' said Awang.
Existing data shows rice production reached only 573,381 tons in 2013, meeting 87 percent of the province's demand. (yln)
