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West Java key to achieving RI’s food self sufficiency targets
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Prime product: West Java governor Ahmad Heryawan picks a Crystal guava during an agriculture product exhibition at Pakansari Sports Stadium in Cibinong, Bogor regency, West Java. (JP/Theresia Sufa)
W
hile serving as the largest source of food for Jakarta, West Java has played an important role as one of two Indonesian provinces, along with East Java, that have become the country’s biggest contributors of rice.
“We are targeting that by 2045, Indonesia will become the world’s food barn and West Java can become the biggest contributor toward achieving Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency targets,” the Agriculture Ministry’s Food Security Agency head Agung Hendriadi said at the 37th Food Security Day celebrations at Pakansari Sports Stadium in Cibinong, Bogor regency, recently.
He said West Java produced 25-30 percent of national animal protein sources and contributed to 40 percent of total horticultural commodities.
“We have also increased the number of rice fields by almost 150,000 hectares and developed 3,700 embung [artificial lakes]. We have also made use of 500,000 ha of peatland,” said Agung.
Following measures implemented in the last three years, he said, the government managed to achieve its self sufficiency targets on rice, corn, shallot and red chilies.
“In October, we began exporting rice to Malaysia and shallot to Singapore, the Philippines and Timor Leste. This is part of our efforts to improve our farmers’ economic wellbeing,” said Agung.
“In our roadmap to achieving food sustainability by 2019, we are expecting to achieve self sufficiency in garlic and sugar for consumption. Indonesia’s self sufficiency in soya beans is expected to be achieved by 2020, followed by self-sufficiency in sugar for industry in 2025 and beef in 2026.” (ebf)
