South Kalimantan Boosts Modern Farming Education for Young Generation
The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan continues to promote opportunities and education about modern agriculture in order to attract young people to enter the farming sector. South Kalimantan is a major food production hub in the Kalimantan region.
This modern farming education was on display at the stand of the Provincial Food Crops and Food Security Agency (DPKP) at the Kalsel Expo 2026 in Banjarbaru. Each day, the stand hosted various outreach and educational activities about innovations and developments in modern agriculture for visitors.
The DPKP stand showcased a range of products, equipment and agricultural innovations. One of the highlights was a floating tractor for cultivating land in wetlands or swamps. “Through the exhibition activities that we participate in every year, we want to socialise and educate the public, especially the younger generation, about the great opportunities in the agricultural sector,” said Head of the South Kalimantan Provincial DPKP, Syamsir Rahman, on Sunday (16/8).
Syamsir stressed that the agriculture and food security sector is vital for the future. This is also in line with the government’s desire to make Indonesia a self-sufficient country and even a dominant player in global food. However, the agricultural sector faces challenges, including the declining number of farmers, the conversion of agricultural land, and climate change.
“Another problem is the lack of interest among the younger generation in entering agriculture. The majority of our farmers are elderly, so there is a need for farmer regeneration, and this must be developed through modern farming systems, mechanisation and innovation,” said Syamsir.
South Kalimantan is recorded as a national food barn, particularly for the Kalimantan region, with rice production in 2025 reaching 1.179 million tonnes. The production target for 2026 is 1.3 million tonnes, an increase of 15 percent.
Regarding the dry season and forest and land fires, Syamsir acknowledged that around 6,000 hectares of rice crops in several areas are currently experiencing drought and are at risk of crop failure. However, he assured that rice production in South Kalimantan remains stable because some areas have entered the main harvest season. This includes the use of swamp land for planting rice and secondary crops covering 15,000 hectares.
The DPKP stand at Kalsel Expo 2026 also displayed various superior agricultural products, including local fruits such as mentega, kapul and mata kucing, which are nearly extinct.