COORDINATING MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE
HM.4.6/196/SET.M.EKON.3/05/2023

PENAS Farmers-Fishermen XVI-2023: Coordinating Minister Airlangga Presents Concrete Efforts to Improve the Welfare of Farmers and Fishermen

Jakarta, June 10th, 2023

Adequate food availability plays an important role in the life of a nation and makes it one of the Government's top priorities in formulating policies. By prioritizing programs to increase the availability, access, and quality of food consumption, the Government has made Food Security an important aspect of the 2022-2024 National Development Agenda.

In the midst of global uncertainty due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical escalation, to the current climate change, the active role and responsibility of various parties are also needed to increase agricultural sector production. Thus, the threat of the global food crisis can be overcome, including by utilizing local wisdom and potential.

"The government must continue to take concrete steps in meeting national food needs by increasing production and intensifying local food consumption and introducing it to other countries as an export commodity," said the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto when virtually delivering a keynote speech while opening the XVI-2023 Farmer-Fishermen National Week (PENAS), Saturday (10/06).

As a manifestation of their commitment to improving the welfare of farmers, fishermen, and forest farmers, the Government has made various efforts, ranging from the construction of dam infrastructure for water supply, the construction of transportation facilities to reduce logistics costs, the utilization of superior varieties that are adaptive to environmental changes, and the application of smart agriculture.

In addition, the Government has also facilitated the use of agricultural tools and machinery, the provision of People's Business Credit, Social Forestry, and Land for Agrarian Reform Objects (TORA), the implementation of blue economy marines and fisheries development, fostering young start-ups and marketplaces, to provide access and economic strengthening for micro and small business actors.

In addition to these various efforts, the Coordinating Minister Airlangga also invited all stakeholders to collaborate in carrying out concrete work to increase the ability and independence of farmers, fishermen, and forest farmers to become more productive, qualified in business literacy, able to increase income and welfare, as well as be independent and globally competitive.

"In this grand forum such as PENAS XVI-2023, as a forum for hospitality, as a forum for promoting agricultural development results, as a forum for evaluating, correcting, and improving Government programs, as a forum for access to technology, and as a forum for introducing superior seeds," Coordinating Minister Airlangga concluded.

Also present at the occasion included the Minister of Agriculture, Members of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Members of the Regional Representative Council of Indonesia, Governors/Regents/Mayors throughout Indonesia, and the Chairman of the National Outstanding Farmers and Fishermen Association (NOVA). (dft/fsr)

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Head of Communications, Information Services, and Meetings Bureau
Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia
Haryo Limanseto

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