French agricultural group extends aid
French agricultural group extends aid
JAKARTA (JP): France's Center for International Cooperation in
Agricultural Research for Development agreed here on Monday to
continue giving technical assistance to the Indonesian government
for another five years.
The agreement was signed by the director general of the
center, Bernard Bachelier, and the head of the research and
development agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Djoko
Budianto.
Bachelier said it was important that his center continue its
research collaboration with Indonesia in order to assist the
country in its recovery from economic turmoil.
"We have reviewed our previous cooperation and we have set new
research priorities considering the changing environment and the
capability of Indonesia's agriculture sector," he announced
following the signing of the agreement.
He said the aim of the cooperation remained the same, that is
help Indonesia produce sufficient foodstuffs and reduce imports.
Bachelier said the new priorities would take into
consideration the 1997 food crisis caused by El Nino induced
droughts and the economic crisis which severely affected the
agriculture and forestry sectors.
He said the collaboration program would focus on the
management of farming requirements, such as fertilizers and
pesticides, and water management for irrigated agriculture and
rain-fed farming, to prevent drought damage.
"Priorities will be given to promote rice, soybean,
vegetables, fruits, milk and meat self-sufficiency within
Indonesia and to increase production of other commodities which
have great potential in the export market, such as palm oil,
rubber, coffee and cocoa," he said.
Bachelier said the center's projects usually emphasized on
improving the production of estate crops, watershed management,
agro-economy and forest inventory.
He said the center, in cooperation with the ministry's
research and development agency, would also launch a project to
promote agribusiness among smallholders through the improvement
of upland farming in Semarang, Central Java, on Wednesday.
Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin said the prevailing
impact of the country's worst-ever economic crisis had made
agriculture the primary backbone and engine of economic recovery.
He said the center's cooperation was important because France
had successfully developed its agriculture sector and had vast
experience in developing the agriculture sector during the
economic crisis.
The Paris-based center conducts a wide range of agricultural
and forestry research projects in Asia and the Pacific region in
close cooperation with host countries. It has been working in
Indonesia for over 30 years.
The center will also sign another memorandum of understanding
on Tuesday with the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations on
cooperation in the forestry sector. (gis)