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t is important that we do not get lost in the debate around whether Indonesia needs to import its rice and instead remain focused on those who are producing it domestically. After all, Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest rice consumers, feeding more than 260 million people.

However growing rice is not easy and these farmers will face many challenges

But there is more to this than just the necessity to feed millions of people in Indonesia. With the rising population, continued surge in the growth of cities, climate change, scarcity of natural resources, and a growing middle class, rice supply and food security is increasingly being compromised.

Indonesia is the largest economy in the ASEAN region with gross domestic product (GDP) of US$1 trillion and real GDP growth of 4.9 percent year-on-year, of which 14 percent is from agriculture.

Agriculture is a driving force that will sustain Indonesia’s growth, and with rice as the staple food, rice self-sufficiency is crucial. While Indonesia is one of the top rice producers globally (37.3 million metrics tons in 2017), it is also one of the world’s top consumers with a recorded consumption of 37 million metric tons in 2017 according to data of the United States Department of Agriculture.

And with a population growth rate of 1.1 percent annually and per capita rice consumption of 117 kilograms, Indonesia needs to produce an additional 1.7 million metric tons to feed around 282 million people by 2023.

So how can we ensure sufficiency in rice production?

Addressing this complex issue is not easy. It requires a concerted effort to examine the whole food chain and rethink the role of each organization in the security and stability of food production.

But we can start by assessing how we can empower farmers, the backbone of our nation.

Firstly, we need to acknowledge that farmers are vulnerable to a rapidly changing agricultural landscape. Extreme climate conditions, drought, water constraints, and labor shortages threaten their ability to produce high yields.

With such unpredictability, we need to support our farmers with comprehensive education and the latest and best in class seed and crop protection technologies.

We must help them at each stage of their journey, from planting through to harvesting, to improve yield, quality and profit. Recently, we developed a new herbicide designed specifically for rice — the first of its kind.

We have designed the product to suit rice’s multiple growing methods, in wet or dry soil.

This means farmers need to use less of it which can increase their profitability whilst meeting consumer demands for less chemical inputs.

We are working to produce hybrid seeds that grow in more saline soils, survive submersion and drought conditions all whilst delivering higher yields and quality crop. It has been found that hybrid rice brings an incremental yield benefit of a minimum of 5 — 10 percent over inbred varieties.

Today, Indonesia’s rice-growing area is mostly planted with inbred seeds, but hybrid technology could help to make smallholders more sustainable.

Corteva is working to develop a network of farmer schools across Indonesia to enable farmers to make this a reality.

Secondly, we need to make farming inclusive for women. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that between 43 to 70 percent of the agricultural workforce in some countries comprises women.

In Indonesia alone, over 40 percent of women make up the nearly 22 million smallholders famers working in agriculture.

Women make significant contributions to the rural economy. Their productivity in the field has a direct impact on food security. But barriers to finance, education and land rights limit their ability to produce.

The current system which leans heavily towards the needs of male farmers is outdated. We need to close the gender gap in agriculture and rethink the system to ensure it meets the needs of women.

The right to own land and access to credit should also be addressed. Financial institutions would do well to open up to these farmers and provide more financial resources.

We need to build and nurture women-specific communities, championed by leaders who take the time to understand their needs and help them fit in.

When there is a strong network of support, women feel more inspired. When they are inspired, they feel empowered

Women farmers are at the heart of our programs. We are taking a concerted look at female farmers in agronomy education programs, ensuring they get trained on the entire farm journey — from planting to harvesting.

Lastly, we need to innovate and harness the power of data and science to help farmers become smart farmers. That means working with them to modernize and streamline their operations — augmenting their experience and know-how with high-tech intelligence that helps to control risk and drive productivity.

We also need to create smart farms through the application of data and scientific and technological innovation.

The government’s move to digitally empower farmers by providing them with mobile applications is a step in the right direction.

Innovations not just in the product they use, but also in the way they are engaged along the food production process, will unlock more opportunities for them, impacting their productivity and profit.
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