Launch of Three Smart Guides for Vegetable Cultivation to Support Farmers’ Productivity
SYNGENTA Indonesia has launched three smart books on horticultural crop cultivation to support the productivity of farmers and strengthen national food security. The launch took place in Soreang, West Java, on Monday, 2 March, and was attended by more than 100 farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
The three guides introduced are titled “Premium Red Onions, Optimal Harvest, Maximum Output”, “Healthy Chilies in Abundance, Abundant Harvest, Profits Galore”, and “Tomatoes with a Natural Shine, Healthy Plants, Multiplied Yields”. The guidebooks are being distributed free of charge to vegetable farmers and members of the public who wish to learn practical horticultural cultivation techniques.
Rahmat Hidayat, Head of the Extension Division of the West Java Provincial Office for Food Crops and Horticulture, praised the move as an effort to enhance farmers’ capacity. “There is no end to learning, including in cultivation. We highly appreciate Syngenta’s effort to produce smart books that can help farmers cultivate horticultural commodities properly. The government and Syngenta share the same goal of increasing farmers’ income and welfare through higher productivity,” he said, as quoted in a press release received on Friday, 6 March.
Suhendro, Marketing Head of Syngenta Indonesia, said the book launch forms part of the company’s commitment to supporting government programmes aimed at realising food sovereignty. “Through these smart books we share practical cultivation knowledge while also delivering innovative solutions for farmers to face the various challenges of horticultural cultivation,” he said.
He added that launches of similar books would also be carried out at several vegetable production centres across the country in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Narendra Widyanto, Syngenta Indonesia’s Business Planning & Commercial Excellence Manager, explained that the material in the books is based on farmers’ field experiences and the company’s technical expertise. “The content covers not only Syngenta technology but also information on pests and diseases with their solutions, sustainable agricultural innovations, and safety in farming,” he said. Narendra added that the books will be available in print and digital formats through the Cropwise application, making them more accessible to farmers. To deepen farmers’ understanding, Syngenta also hosted a talk show titled “Synergy of the Three Pillars—Government, Syngenta, and Farm Business Players—in the Context of Improving Quality and National Harvests”. The discussion featured speakers from the government, agricultural associations and farming practitioners.
Through this launch of smart cultivation books, Syngenta hopes to enhance farmers’ knowledge and skills, boost horticultural productivity, and support the development of a more advanced and sustainable Indonesian agriculture.
Deputy Minister of Industry Faisol Riza described the government’s food security programme under the Prabowo Subianto administration as an opportunity for the domestic agro-industry to grow further.