Megawati tees off on loss of rice fields

BOGOR (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri expressed concern over the decreasing number of rice fields in much of the farming land in the country, such as in the areas between Kerawang and Bekasi in West Java, as many of them have been converted into golf courses.

"Even the colonists never touched those areas that are the main source of rice for the country. We are even worse than they were because we turn productive land to golf courses," Megawati said on Friday.

The Vice President was addressing the declaration of 2001 Food Resilience Movement at the Bogor Palace.

Megawati said that she had asked the National Land Agency (BPN) to collect data on rice fields across the country and complete the necessary mapping with local authorities as soon as possible.

"Sometimes, I become so upset because every time I ask the extent of our rice fields, how many have been lost, the officials always give the answer that they do not have the number," Megawati remarked.

She further underlined that for the past four decades, the country had reduced the meaning of food resilience to only rice fulfillment, despite the fact that many Indonesians cannot afford to eat rice as their staple diet.

"The increase in rice consumption has created difficulties in rice provision," she said.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bungaran Saragih, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Agum Gumelar, Junior Minister for Forestry Marzuki Usman and Indonesian Farmers Association Chairman Siswono Yudhohusodo also attended the venue. (21/dja)