Deputy Minister: Farmer and Livestock Breeder Welfare a Government Priority
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono has stressed that the welfare of farmers and livestock breeders is a government priority through the protection of harvest prices, assistance with production inputs, increased productivity, and sustainable mentoring across Indonesia.
“The point is, there should be no more farmers who are struggling or living poorly. There should be no more farmers whose harvests are not valued at a good price. There should be no more breeders whose livestock products do not bring them prosperity,” Sudaryono said in a statement on Monday.
According to the Deputy Minister, who is familiarly known as Mas Dar, agricultural development must be able to deliver a more decent life for farmers and breeders throughout Indonesia.
One step the Ministry of Agriculture has taken to improve the welfare of breeders is maintaining the price balance of livestock commodities. This is to address the fall in the price of eggs and live chickens at the breeder level due to changes in demand patterns.
“The government is continuously seeking solutions so that prices at the breeder level remain profitable, ensuring that livestock businesses are sustainable,” he said while attending the inauguration of the Bali Provincial Board of the Indonesian Farmers Harmony Association (HKTI) in Denpasar.
According to Sudaryono, President Prabowo Subianto has made the agricultural sector a national development priority. Therefore, various programmes are directed at reducing dependence on imports while increasing domestic production through tangible support for farmers.
“We must not import any more. We will gradually reduce imports. That is why agricultural workers in Bali must take part in increasing production,” he said.
He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture has prepared various forms of support, ranging from seed assistance, agricultural tools and machinery, to rice field printing programmes and production increases that can be accessed by farmers through local governments, agricultural extension workers, or organisations like HKTI.
“If there are farmers who do not have tools, report it, and we will help with the tools. If they do not have seeds, report it, and we will provide the seeds,” he said.
Sudaryono also confirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture will immediately follow up on the proposal for additional liquid organic fertiliser quotas submitted by the Bali Provincial Government to support the development of organic farming in Bali.
“We will call the Bali Provincial Agriculture Office to coordinate with the relevant Directorate General so that the need for liquid organic fertiliser in the field can be mapped and met according to requirements,” he explained.
He assured that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to strengthen synergy with regional governments, farmer organisations, extension workers, and all stakeholders so that strategic programmes can be directly felt by farmers and breeders.
Through support for production inputs, strengthening environmentally friendly agriculture, protecting agricultural product prices, and increasing productivity, the government is optimistic that the welfare of farmers and breeders will continue to improve while strengthening national food security.