Deputy Governor hopes KTNA Main Assembly yields recommendations for advanced agriculture

Gorontalo (ANTARA) - Deputy Governor of Gorontalo Idah Syahidah Rusli Habibie hopes the Main Assembly of the Andalan Farmers and Fishermen Contact (KTNA) during the XVII National Farmers and Fishermen Week (PENAS) in 2026 will yield constructive and visionary recommendations for the development of Indonesia’s agricultural and fisheries sectors. Speaking at the opening of the KTNA Main Assembly in Gorontalo on Friday, Idah stated that the forum serves as a strategic space for farmers and fishermen from across Indonesia to formulate solutions to the various challenges facing the agricultural and fisheries sectors. “I hope this Main Assembly can produce recommendations that are constructive, visionary, and beneficial for the future of Indonesian farmers and fishermen,” she said. According to her, farmers and fishermen play a vital role as guardians of national sovereignty by ensuring food availability for the community. She noted that the current problems faced by farmers and fishermen must be addressed through improved connectivity, innovation, and policies that provide business certainty. Furthermore, breakthroughs are needed so that the added value of agricultural and fishery products can be optimally enjoyed by domestic farmers and fishermen. Idah emphasised that the future of Indonesian agriculture depends not only on increasing production but also on efforts to improve the welfare of farmers and fishermen and to encourage the regeneration of business actors in the sector. “The future of Indonesian agriculture is not just about increasing production, but also about improving the welfare of farmers and fishermen and ensuring that the younger generation is interested in becoming modern farmers and fishermen,” she said. She assessed that PENAS XVII must become a momentum to strengthen the transformation of the agricultural and fisheries sectors towards a system that is modern, productive, and sustainable. As the host of PENAS XVII, the Gorontalo Provincial Government is committed to supporting the development of the agricultural and fisheries sectors through human resource capacity building, innovation, and stakeholder collaboration. The KTNA Main Assembly is one of the key agendas in the PENAS XVII series, bringing together farmers and fishermen from various regions to discuss strategic issues in national agricultural and fisheries development and to formulate recommendations for the government and relevant stakeholders. PENAS XVII is attended by thousands of participants from across Indonesia, consisting of farmers, fishermen, and forest farmers, as well as representatives of extension workers, researchers, the private sector, and the government.