Five regents awarded for farming policies
Five regents awarded for farming policies
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As part of its campaign to support farmers and the agriculture
sector, the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) conferred on
Wednesday special awards to five regents for their pro-farmer
policies.
Regents H. Djasari of Banjarnegara, Central Java, Idham Samawi
of Bantul, Yogyakarta, Wasidi Swastomo of Cianjur, West Java,
Masfuk of Lamongan, East Java, and Burhanuddin Rasjid of Sambas,
West Kalimantan, received the agricultural award.
"They were chosen because they are the favorites of the people
(in their regencies), and were nominated independently by the
people," Suara Darmaga coordinator Hermanu Triwidodo was quoted
by Antara as saying on Wednesday.
Suara Darmaga, a research center under the IPB, conducted a
national survey to determine the most deserving recipients of the
award.
No details were provided on the policies enacted by the five
regents.
Hermanu said several organizations helped in the selection,
including the Indonesian Pest Control Association, the Bio-access
Indonesian Community in Yogyakarta, the IPB alumni organization,
the Society of Coconut Oil Lovers and the Indonesian Organic
Farmers Association, as well as several regional autonomy
observers.
IPB rector Ahmad Ansori Matjik said the award followed the
institute's aims to promote an agriculture-based economy.
Ahmad added that the people needed to be able to manage
natural resources, especially in the agriculture sector.
"We import so many agricultural products, even though we have
vast resources," he said.
Natural resource management, he said, was essential because
the Asian Free Trade Area (AFTA) could leave developing countries
behind in regional competitiveness.
He added that the government, educational institutions and the
industry had important roles in developing the agriculture
sector.
"The government must support farmers and institutions that
produce new technology and qualified human resources, while the
industry must act as an investor and apply the technology
developed by those institutions," he said.