Facts about the Central Kalimantan Food Estate that Jokowi will Build

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) mention development efforts food estate or food storage can increase resilience food Indonesia.

“Food estates are being built to strengthen national food reserves, not only in the upstream area, but also in the downstream areas for industrial food products,” said Jokowi, in a speech at the MPR-DPR annual session, Friday (14/8).

The food estate is planned to be built in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra. Later, the food estate will be built on 178 thousand hectares of land in Kapuas Regency and Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan.

The initial stage, the food estate will be built on a land area of ​​30 thousand hectares. Then, within one and a half years or a maximum of two years, 148 thousand hectares of rice barn will be added.

Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) economist Yusuf Rendy Manilet said the food estate development proposal for food security was correct. Moreover, the root of the food problem in Indonesia is dependence on imported food.

“I think the concept proposed is acceptable, because the concept of food estate is to provide food in one country,” he explained to CNNIndonesia.com.

However, in its application, Jokowi needs to pay attention to four factors. First, land worthiness. According to some experts, the contours of the land in Central Kalimantan are quite wavy, making it unsuitable for several crops such as rice.

Second, infrastructure feasibility. He assessed that Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra have shortcomings in terms of infrastructure. However, this can be overcome by building a number of facilities. However, it should be remembered that infrastructure development from scratch would require more capital.

Third, technology, and fourth, social and economic feasibility. For example, Human Resources (HR) in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra are suitable or not suitable for food estate development, because many farmers will be needed later.

“The four pillars need to be decided to build a food estate. The concept is good, but if you pay attention to the four pillars, it is not fulfilled,” he said.

For the development of the food estate, Jokowi assigned Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto. However, Prabowo’s appointment has also been criticized by a number of parties, one of which is the University of Indonesia (UI) Senior Economist, Faisal Basri.

He said Prabowo had nothing to do with the rice barn construction. Supposedly, the head of command for the construction of the project should be from the Ministry of Agriculture or an expert in the agricultural sector.

With Prabowo’s appointment, he questioned the function of the minister of agriculture if agricultural affairs were transferred to the minister of defense. According to him, if the Ministry of Agriculture is deemed incapable, then it can be looked for other parties that are still related to the agricultural sector.

“That in the era of President Soeharto failed, the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) failed, now with the same pattern he wanted to implement and the project leader was the minister of defense. This is not true,” said Faisal in the Secret dialogue at the News Room (Setroom). CNNIndonesia.com.

[Gambas:Video CNN]

(ULF / a)

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