PALMOILMAGAZINE, PALANGKARAYA – The Ministry of Agriculture is committed to strengthening national food security by optimizing the Kesatria program (Kelapa Sawit Tumpang Sari Tanaman Pangan), which promotes intercropping food crops in palm oil plantations.
One example of its implementation is the planting of dryland paddy (paddy gogo) in palm oil plantations in Pager Village, Rakumpit Subdistrict, Palangkaraya City, led by the Acting Director General of Plantations, Heru Tri Widarto.
The Kesatria program aligns with the Minister of Agriculture’s directive to boost national rice production in response to the global food crisis. Planting paddy gogo in palm oil plantations is expected to increase plantation productivity and provide additional income for smallholders.
Also Read: Jaya Sakti Farmer Group in Riau Conducts SRP with Gogo Paddy Intercropping
“We planted paddy gogo alongside officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Army, and smallholder groups. The aim is to boost rice production and improve the income of our smallholders,” Heru said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com on Friday, October 4, 2024.
This initiative involves close collaboration between the government, smallholder groups, and the Army, working together to achieve food self-sufficiency amid increasing global challenges. In addition to raising rice production, the Kesatria program supports agricultural diversification within palm oil plantations, ensuring more optimal use of agricultural land.
By the planting, Ministry of Agriculture would be optimist that Ksatria program would positively deliver advantages not only in national scale food security but also the smallholders/farmers’ welfare where the plantations grew. (P2)
