Agricom.id, SOLO – Economist of Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara told that food estate is the implemented program from green revolution and other food barn development which were not maximally executed. He told that it is the program that could be developing fast for using the touch of mechanism and technology.

"Food estate is the implementation of green revolution concept that President Joko Widodo starts learning that what happened in the old days should not be happening again. I think, it runs well,” he said in a virtual discussion, Friday (9/4/2021), as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

But he continued, it needs to expand food estate through diversification that involves every element of the people by planting house yards massively. It is essential because food security would collectively be realized and in togetherness.

“The most important thing is that the program should be sustainably done by the whole people. The government would not help or develop them for too long. That is why diversification should be the answer in food estate,” he said.

Chairman of Kelompok Tani Nelayan Andalan (KTNA) Central Java, Munaji, told  that he heard good news from food estate namely in Kalimantan and North Sumatera, such as, the increasing production of food plantation, namely paddy which reached 7 tons per hectare.

"I do know about the good program of food estate in Humbang Hasundutan. Perhaps this is the solution so that our nation could reduce import and fulfill the domestic needs,” he said.

Since in the beginning, he thought that food estate could be the pilot project which more than 80 percent to be successful. In addition, the program is run by the touch of technology and the support of superior seeds.

“The strategic food (in paddy, corn, and soybean – base) is in control. The technology in seeds and fertilizer is available. I think that this is good because paddy and horticulture develop well,” he said.

In the same event, General Director of Horticulture Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto told that in general food estate in North Sumatera Utara develops fast. It is known by the increasing production and the making of the same corporate.

“The corporate is even directly developed and managed by the farmers themselves. They have complete partners and off-takers. They would continue the business. The government would only supervise for the next two years. The farmers themselves would manage from the upstream to downstream sectors,” he said.

For information, food estate in North Sumatera, namely the phase one commodity are cultivated in a 215 hectare – area within 1500 meters on the sea. The areas were vegetation of bush and reeds.

“Alhamdulillah we are in harvest for onion for about 6 tons per hectare; potato about 13 tons per hectare while garlic would be in harvest in the end of May 2021 because it would be in long process. One thing for sure, we keep boosting the progress,” he said. (A2)