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Amran Sulaiman: 14 Companies Have Committed To Help Cultivate 500,000 Hectares Of Rice Fields

The Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, has unveiled an initiative to establish 500,000 hectares of rice fields in South Kalimantan. He emphasized that the land in this area holds great potential to support Indonesia's food requirements.

"We have identified the land for 500,000 hectares of rice cultivation. Achieving this will enhance our food security," Amran stated during the 'Coordination Meeting for the People's Rice Field Program' held in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Monday (November 4, 2024). He noted that the goal of 500,000 hectares will be approached in phases.

In the initial phase, the Ministry of Agriculture plans to develop 152,291 hectares of rice fields across various districts, including Hulu Sungai Selatan, Hulu Sungai Tengah, Hulu Sungai Utara, Tanah Laut, and Tapin. This will be followed by further expansion into other regions of South Kalimantan.

"We need to take this seriously; the total will reach 500,000 hectares. I intend to inspect each area later. If we can achieve 2-3 harvests, it will significantly increase our rice production," Amran remarked. He also highlighted that the development of these rice fields will incorporate technology for land preparation, planting, harvesting, and post-harvest activities.

The Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with various companies to enhance the establishment of rice fields by supplying agricultural tools and machinery. "Fourteen companies are on board to provide approximately 2,000 tools for this initiative. Our goal is to speed up the process, and we have instructed the Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities to finalize contracts within 1-2 days, or at the latest, 3 days," Amran mentioned.

At this event, agreements were signed involving the Ministry of Agriculture, the Provincial Government of South Kalimantan, local district and city administrations, military command, regional police, the High Prosecutor's Office, and Pupuk Indonesia. This signing signifies a commitment to advancing rice field development to enhance rice production and bolster national food security.

"President Prabowo Subianto has urged us to fast-track this vital initiative of creating rice fields to achieve food self-sufficiency," Amran added.

Tag: Andi Amran Sulaiman Minister Of Agriculture Rice Fields South Kalimantan