Sjafrie joins villagers in first corn harvest

BEKASI (JP): Outgoing Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin marked the first corn harvest of a farming project jointly sponsored by his personnel and farmers of Ragem Manunggal village in Setu district here yesterday morning.

Appearing cheerful among villagers, a uniformed Sjafrie walked through the corn field accompanied by his wife Etty Sudiyati, his staff and farmers.

He joined his wife in plucking several ears of corns and showing them to the gaggle of onlookers surrounding him in the field.

From a distance, Sjafrie and the group were invisible among the two-meter-high corn plants.

Corn was planted three months ago on 20 hectares of idle land owned by private developers.

The farming project, called "Operasi Bhakti Tani ABRI-Rakyat I" (Joint Farming Operation Between ABRI and the People/Batara I), is aimed at helping boost staple food production during the economic crisis.

It involved 100 local villagers and 200 personnel from the City Military Command, Sjafrie said.

The yield was about 160 tons of corn, which would be sold to local cooperatives for distribution to markets.

Sjafrie estimated the corn would carry a value of Rp 193 million.

"All of the money would be given to all of the 100 villagers involved in this project. My men will get nothing from this."

The military's participation was voluntary to help the local people in their time of need, he said.

"In the past, villagers provided food to the soldiers in the wars. Now, it's time to repay them."

He encouraged the farmers to deposit their earnings in banks or use it carefully to fulfill their household needs.

"Don't use the money to buy a new radio or even to get a new wife," he said, eliciting laughter from the farmers. (ivy)