Indonesia to develop agro-biotechnology<\/p>\n
CIAWI, Bogor, West Java: Minister for Research and Technology
\nB.J. Habibie says Indonesia will intensify its use of
\nbiotechnology to develop the agribusiness industry.<\/p>\n
\"Agriculture has to be developed by applying biotechnology to
\nspur the agribusiness industry as well as to improve farmers'
\nstandard of living,\" he said, while visiting a privately-owned
\nhorticulture and floriculture project here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"We can live without airplanes or ships but not without
\nproteins and carbohydrates from food crops such soybeans,
\ncarrots, tomatoes and peppers. And the horticulture and
\nfloriculture commodities have excellent prospects in the local
\nand international market,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 10-hectare farming project in the mountainous resort
\napplies biotechnology, with the help of experts from the
\nNetherlands, to develop floricultural and horticultural
\ncommodities. Beside having 13 large green houses where the two
\ncommodities are developed, it has also set up its own research
\ncenter and employed about 100 skilled workers.<\/p>\n
Project manager Sigit said that the project, which had also
\nbeen visited by President Soeharto in 1991, was running short of
\nfunds. He added that the project did not yet have enough money to
\ndevelop the various kinds of plants that would help develop the
\nagribusiness industry across the country.<\/p>\n
He said that the farming project was working in cooperation
\nwith the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and many state-
\nowned companies under the Ministry of Finance to pioneer
\ndeveloping hydroponics in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Habibie, who also chairs the National Research Board (DRN) and
\nthe Agency for Research and Application of technology (BPPT),
\npromised to help develop the project to help make it an exemplary
\nproject of horticulture and floriculture for the rest of the
\ncountry. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-to-develop-agro-biotechnology-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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