Riau Police Harvest 4 Hectares of Maize in Pekanbaru to Support Food Self-Sufficiency

The Riau Regional Police (Polda Riau), together with a farmer group, has conducted a maize harvest on a 4-hectare plot of land in Pekanbaru. This activity supports the national food self-sufficiency programme. The Head of the Human Resources Bureau (Karo SDM) of Polda Riau, Senior Commissioner Boy Jeckson Situmorang, stated that the harvest was a collaboration between the farmer group, the Riau Province Food Crops and Horticulture Office, and Polda Riau. Senior Commissioner Boy Jeckson stressed that the success of the food security programme cannot be achieved by one party alone, but requires cooperation and synergy from all elements. “Food security is a collective effort. Therefore, the National Police is present to strengthen collaboration, connect various parties, and help resolve obstacles faced by the community in the field. This spirit is in line with the ‘KolaborAksi’ tagline promoted by Pekanbaru City on its 242nd anniversary,” said Senior Commissioner Boy on Tuesday (23/6/2026). He noted there is still a perception that the National Police has been given a new task as an executor of agricultural activities. According to him, this perception is inaccurate because the police’s primary role is as a driver, facilitator, and connector of various resources needed by the community. “The National Police is not taking over the role of farmers or agricultural extension workers. Our task is to help accelerate coordination, cut through bureaucratic obstacles, and connect community needs with parties that have the authority and resources,” he explained. In this programme, the Riau Province Food Crops and Horticulture Office provided support in the form of seeds, fertiliser, and technical assistance. The farmer group was responsible for land management and crop care. Meanwhile, Bhabinkamtibmas personnel helped strengthen coordination in the field while ensuring the entire process ran smoothly. This activity is also part of the support for the maize self-sufficiency programme initiated by President Prabowo Subianto. The programme is directed at increasing domestic production to meet the needs of the animal feed industry and reduce dependence on imports. According to Senior Commissioner Boy Jeckson, the harvest results demonstrate the importance of implementing good agricultural management, discipline in carrying out cultivation operational standards, and expert assistance from the start of the planting season. “Today’s harvest serves as a reminder that any work prepared well, carried out earnestly, and executed according to procedure will yield good results,” he said. He explained that the harvested land had been specially prepared from the beginning, starting from land processing, seed selection, fertiliser application, to technical assistance by agricultural experts. “So far, maize productivity in several areas of Riau has ranged between 0.5 to 1 tonne per hectare. Through the application of better cultivation management and appropriate assistance, we hope productivity can increase to 4 to 6 tonnes per hectare,” he said. Senior Commissioner Boy Jeckson affirmed that Polda Riau will continue to support the food security programme by strengthening partnerships with local governments, agricultural extension workers, farmer groups, and all stakeholders. “For the National Police, maintaining food security is part of maintaining social and economic stability in the community. When the food sector is strong, community welfare increases and regional stability will be better maintained,” he concluded.