Govt must pay more attention to agriculture<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): The government must pay more attention
\nto Indonesia's agricultural development, since this is likely
\nremain a leading economic sector into the next century, an
\nacademic said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Prof. Bungaran Saragih said in a scientific oration at the
\nBogor Agricultural University (IPB) that the government needs to
\nshow greater commitment to the agricultural sector in its
\npolicies and development priorities.<\/p>\n
\"You can't expect small-scale farmers to do research for the
\nadvancement of (agricultural) technology... Nor can you expect
\nthem to build the facilities needed for agribusiness activities,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"It is the government's job to improve the technology, human
\nresources and infrastructure facilities specifically needed for
\nagricultural development,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Saragih, a lecturer at the socioeconomics department of IPB's
\nSchool of Agriculture, gave his oration in a ceremony during
\nwhich he was installed as a professor.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, he said, needs an approach to development which
\nwill promote an even distribution of wealth and resources and be
\ncapable of generating more jobs and narrowing the socioeconomic
\ngap.<\/p>\n
Such an approach would also have to be both environmentally-
\nfriendly and able to withstand the impact of global free trade.<\/p>\n
He said the most appropriate path to the achievement of these
\ngoals is through agribusiness and agro-industrial development.<\/p>\n
\"In the 21st century, at least in the first few decades,
\nIndonesia's economic development will still be built on broad-
\nbased agriculture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"In line with this, developing small-scale agribusinesses and
\nstrengthening cooperatives will also be increasingly important,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Saragih defined agribusiness activities as the manufacturing
\nand distribution of farm supplies, production activities
\nundertaken on farms and the storage, processing and distribution
\nof farm produce.<\/p>\n
He said that, in the past, agriculture and rural areas
\ngenerally were seen only as sources of primary products. \"No one
\nsaw the business potential which could be derived from those
\nproducts,\" Saragih said.<\/p>\n
Another advantage of developing agro-industry, Saragih said,
\nwas that it seldom burdened the government's budget. Moreover,
\nsuch development is consistent with the principles of economic
\nindependence, since it relies on the country's domestic strength.<\/p>\n
\"If the bargaining position of small-scale agribusinesses can
\nbe improved, they can open the road to democratizing the
\ncountry's economy,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Consequently, he said, a democratic atmosphere would reduce
\nthe economic losses which might otherwise occur in a market
\nmonopolized by a number of large businesses.<\/p>\n
\"But what is most important is the fact that the added value
\nof agribusiness and agro-industrial activities are mostly at the
\nupstream and downstream ends, which are off-farm activities,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ironically, however, these areas are out of the farmers'
\nreach, meaning that they are deprived of a significant piece of
\nthe cake, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Village cooperatives should be able to become a bridge
\nbetween farmers and off-farm activities, but they have yet to
\nplay an effective role,\" he added.<\/p>\n
At the end of the first long-term (25-year) development plan
\nin March last year, the contribution of the agricultural sector
\nto the country's gross domestic product was 18.46 percent, while
\nthat of the non-agricultural sectors reached 22.33 percent. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-must-pay-more-attention-to-agriculture-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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