Amran Sulaiman: "Saya Tidak Akan Khianati Petani"
Indonesian Minister Promised: "I Will Not Betray the Farmers"
Editor : M. Achsan Atjo
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Berau, Kalimantan Timur (B2B) - Menteri Pertanian RI, Andi Amran Sulaiman menyatakan komitmennya untuk siap membela kepentingan para petani di seluruh Indonesia, dan berjanji akan terus mendorong para petani untuk meningkatkan produktivitas pertanian demi mencapai swasembada pangan.
Janji dan komitmen tersebut dikemukakan Menteri Amran Sulaiman usai melakukan panen padi pada Rabu siang (12/8) di Desa Buyung-Buyung, Kecamatan Tabalar, Kabupaten Berau di provinsi Kalimantan Timur yang dihadiri oleh para petani dan ribuan warga desa setempat yang menantikan kunjungan kerja sang menteri sejak pagi hari.
"Di tengah ancaman kekeringan akibat fenomena El Nino ternyata pertanian di Kalimantan, khususnya Kalimantan Timur, seperti di sini tetap mampu berproduksi, dan ini harus kita optimalkan dengan mesin pertanian. Saya berjanji tidak akan khianati petani," kata Amran Sulaiman dalam kata sambutannya usai panen padi di desa tersebut.
Mentan panen padi bersama Anggota Komisi IV DPR, Luther Kombong; Bupati Berau, Makmur HAPK; Wakil Bupati Ahmad Rivai; Komandan Kodim 0902/Tanjung Redeb (TRD) Berau, Letkol Inf Ahmad Hadi Al-Jufri; Kepala Balai Besar Penelitian Tanaman Padi (BBP-Padi) Ali Jamil; dan Kepala Dinas Pertanian dan Tanaman Pangan Kabupaten Berau, Ilyas Natsir.
Bupati Berau, Makmur HAPK mengharapkan dukungan pemerintah pusat, khususnya Kementerian Pertanian RI agar pemerintah kabupaten dapat meningkatkan produksi pertanian setempat. Saat ini, kontribusi pertanian pada pendapatan asli daerah (PAD) mencapai 17% dan diharapkan meningkat di tengah maraknya industri pertambangan di kabupaten tersebut.
Saat dialog singkat, para petani setempat meminta dukungan waduk, dan alat mesin pertanian khususnya combine harvester, dan permintaan tersebut langsung dipenuhi sang menteri, yang memerintahkan Kepala Pusat Data dan Informasi (Pusdatin) Kementan, Suwandi untuk mencatat permintaan para petani.
"Minta waduk dan irigasi? Saya bukan menteri pekerjaan umum. Oke saya penuhi permintaan saudara-saudara saya di sini, kita akan membuat sumur dangkal dan embung sebagai sumber pengairan. Saya juga akan memberikan 10 alat panen, agar dapat meningkatkan produksi padi di sini," kata Amran Sulaiman.
Namun dialog dengan para petani setempat hanya berlangsung singkat, Menteri Amran Sulaiman harus segera kembali ke Bandara Kalimarau di Tanjung Redeb untuk kembali ke Jakarta karena dipanggil Presiden RI Joko Widodo.
Berau, Indonesia (B2B) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran Sulaiman stated his commitment to be ready to defend the interests of farmers across Indonesia, and promised to continue to encourage farmers to increase agricultural productivity in order to achieve food self-sufficiency.
The remark was made by Minister Sulaiman after the rice harvest rice on Wednesday afternoon (8/12) in Buyung-Buyung village of Tabalar sub-district, Berau district in East Borneo province, which was attended by farmers, and thousands of villagers are waiting the minister since Wednesday morning.
"Due to the dryness of the weather phenomenon El Nino, it turns out agriculture in Borneo, East Borneo in particular, remains capable of producing, and this we must optimize the agricultural machinery. I promise not to betray the farmers," Mr Sulaiman in his speech after the rice harvest.
Mr Sulaiman was conduct the rice harvest was accompanied by Indonesian member of parliament, Luther Kombong; the Berau Regent, Makmur HAPK, Deputy Regent Ahmad Rivai, Berau District Military Commander, Lt. Col. Inf Ahmad Hadi Al-Jufri; the Head of Agriculture Berau district, Ilyas Natsir, and Head of Rice Research Center, Ali Jamil.
Berau Regent, Makmur HAPK expects the support of the central government, particularly the Agriculture Ministry in order to increase local agricultural production. Currently, the contribution of agriculture to the local revenue reached 17%, and is expected to increase in the midst of the mining industry in the district.
During a dialogue, local farmers asked the reservoir, and the combine harvester, the request is fulfilled by Mr. Sulaiman, who ordered the Head of Data and Information on the ministry, Suwandi to meet the needs of local farmers.
"Need reservoirs and irrigation? I am not the minister of public works. Okay I fulfill request my brothers here, we will make shallow wells, and ponds as a source of irrigation water. I will also give 10 combine harvester, in order to increase the production of rice here," he said.
But dialogue with local farmers did not last long, Minister Sulaiman had to return to the Kalimarau airport in Tanjung Redeb and going to Jakarta.
