To support farmers

To support farmers
by real actions

I refer to the article by Benget Simbolon in The Jakarta Post
on Sept. 28 entitled Give farmers the attention they deserve, and
would like to comment as follows.

My father is a farmer in a village named Urung Panei,
Simalungun. Luckily, he does not have to rent land; he owns the
land. As we know, there are many farmers who do not own any land,
they have to rent it or simply become laborers for land owners.

In Indonesia, it is no secret that the government has never
been serious about supporting the farmers, even though, 70
percent of the population are farmers, as mentioned in the
article.

There are various opinions on how to support our farmers.
Almost all of our political parties, during their campaigns to
get more votes, were smart enough in selling their promises.
However, the majority of our farmers are still poor,
economically, politically and socially.

With about 70 percent of Indonesia's population being farmers,
why don't we establish a party, the members of which would mainly
be farmers. The party would definitely have a big number of
members, and would have a significant bargaining position in the
political arena.

In my opinion, at least from my experience as a farmer's
daughter, the government has systematically marginalized the
majority of our farmers, and benefited from their hard labor. The
government gives too many promises without any concrete actions
to support them.

In my village, Urung Panei, the farmers have to survive
without aid from the government. Chemical fertilizers have been
creating a lot of problems both for human beings and the
environment. Ten or 20 years ago things were different. Farmers
used less fertilizer and pesticides for farming.

As is always the case that farmers must buy expensive
fertilizers and yet their products do not sell well. Yet they
cannot do anything about it and have to surrender to what the
market dictates.

Are we going to let our farmers forever remain powerless and
poor? If Japan, South Korea, America and other countries (their
governments and citizens) can protect and support their farmers,
why can't we? Concern is not enough. It has to be manifest in
actions as individuals, communities and as a nation. We need real
action, not just attention.

LIMANTINA SIHALOHO
Simalungun, North Sumatra