High-productivity rice cultivation to be showcased at PENAS XVII

Gorontalo (ANTARA) - A modern rice cultivation technology claimed to be capable of producing up to 10 tonnes of dry harvested grain per hectare will be one of the highlights at the Agricultural Technology Exhibition during the XVII National Farmers and Fishermen’s Week (PENAS) in Gorontalo Regency. Gorontalo Governor Gusnar Ismail, while inspecting the exhibition site in Hepuhulawa Village, Limboto District, on Friday, said the various agricultural innovations on display at PENAS XVII are expected to serve as a means of technology transfer for farmers from across Indonesia. “This location showcases a range of the latest agricultural technologies. One of them is a rice cultivation technology that has the potential to significantly increase productivity,” Gusnar stated. The exhibition site, covering 9.2 hectares, features diverse innovations in the food crop, horticulture, plantation, livestock, and fisheries subsectors. One technology drawing attention is the Modern Agricultural Model Advanced Agricultural System (PM-AAS), developed by the Ministry of Agriculture through the Agricultural Assembly and Modernisation Agency (BRMP). According to Gusnar, this rice cultivation system combines the use of superior varieties, more intensive planting spacing, and agricultural mechanisation to increase plant population and land productivity. He explained that while conventional methods typically produce around 350,000 tillers per hectare, the PM-AAS pattern can increase the number of tillers to approximately 800,000 per hectare. “The increase in the number of tillers directly impacts production yields. Based on calculations, its productivity can reach around 10 tonnes of dry harvested grain per hectare,” he said. Gusnar urged farmers to take advantage of PENAS XVII as an opportunity to learn about technologies and innovations that can be applied to improve farming efficiency and agricultural productivity. PENAS XVII is scheduled to take place in Gorontalo Province from 20 to 27 June 2026 and will be attended by farmers and fishermen from various regions across Indonesia.