Presidential Staff Office’s (KSP) initiative on farmer regeneration is gaining momentum, with Chief of Presidential Staff General (Ret.) TNI Moeldoko emphasizing the need for an inclusive and collaborative approach to expedite the program’s implementation.
Addressing the pressing issue of an aging farming population, Moeldoko highlighted the urgent necessity of attracting the younger generation to embrace careers in the agricultural sector. Speaking from Binagraha, Jakarta, on Wednesday (8/5), he underscored the program’s objective to nurture a new breed of farmers adept in diverse farming methodologies such as permaculture, eco-friendly practices, judicious use of technology, and smart farming leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) innovations.
The overarching goal, as emphasized by Moeldoko, is to directly impact the proliferation of competent and innovative young farmers, thereby catalyzing the revitalization of Indonesia’s agricultural landscape. He envisages the emergence of youth-managed enterprises as pivotal in enticing the younger demographic towards agricultural pursuits, transforming the sector into a lucrative and technologically driven domain.
Citing statistics from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) revealing that over 70% of Indonesian farmers are aged above 43, with a mere 2.14% falling under the young or Gen Z category, Moeldoko stressed the imperative of promoting youth regeneration to safeguard national food security.
The farmer regeneration program, slated to involve an array of stakeholders spanning ministries, agencies, scout organizations, state-owned enterprises, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Indonesian Farmers’ Harmony Association (HKTI), seeks to foster an enabling ecosystem conducive to the development of skilled and forward-thinking young farmers.
A recent meeting chaired by Moeldoko and attended by Dida Gardera, Deputy of Food at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, and representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization, culminated in a consensus on collaborative efforts to fortify the farmer regeneration program. This synergistic partnership is poised to inject dynamism into the agricultural sector through the assimilation of cutting-edge technologies.
Expressing full-fledged support for KSP’s farmer regeneration initiative, Dida Gardera articulated plans for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs to spearhead the development of a collaborative platform, uniting diverse programs from stakeholders to yield more efficacious outcomes in nurturing a robust cadre of young farmers poised to steer Indonesia towards agricultural excellence.
