Joint Rice Harvest in Rorotan, City Supports Farmers to Strengthen Food Security

For the sake of increasing food security in Jakarta, the Jakarta Maritime, Agriculture, and Food Security Agency (KPKP) held a Joint Rice Harvest event in Rorotan, North Jakarta, on Wednesday (7/13) morning.

We continue to strive thus Jakarta can also prepare food availability.

The rice harvested is the Ciherang variety grown by the Maju Bersama Farmers Group in Rorotan, North Jakarta. At that time, the Farmer Products Exhibition incorporated in Jakpreneur was also held in the form of rice, salted eggs, and various drinks.

The Joint Rice Harvest and Farmer Products Exhibition was a form of the Jakarta administration's support and appreciation for farmers in Jakarta in order to strengthen food security in Jakarta. The total harvested area is approximately 32 hectares with a potential production of 208 tons. Part of the rice harvest would be sold to PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya in the form of 8 tons of dry grain harvested.

Jakarta Needs Inter-Regional Cooperation to Strengthen Food Security

"The KPKP agency is preparing the land, even though it is known that Jakarta is not a food self-sufficient area, but we continue to strive thus Jakarta can also prepare food availability. Besides land in Jakarta and some areas, we have also been working with other regions to ensure the availability of rice, paddy, or food for the needs of Jakarta residents. We make sure food needs are available and enough at affordable prices," expressed Jakarta Vice Governor Ahmad Riza Patria who was present at the Rice Harvest activity, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

The agency had assisted with five tons of rice seeds and control of pests and diseases of rice plants with the Plant Protection Brigade. These seeds were the result of the production of the UPT Center for Seed Development and Plant Protection of the KPKP Agency in the eternal rice fields, East Jakarta. Another support provided by the agency was guidance and assistance by Agricultural Extension Officers and Plant Pest Organism Observers (POPT).

"We keep working with other regions to help farmers, including here and in Rorotan.  Later the Food Station will also help to market the rice products. Hope it can help the welfare of farmers in Jakarta. We meet the availability of food at affordable prices. We are grateful that Indonesia has large and fertile land, so we can ensure food needs," he explained.

He also had a dialogue with farmers and symbolically released the sale of the first grain of rice harvested by Rorotan farmers to PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya. There were also North Jakarta Mayor Ali Maulana Hakim; KPKP Agency Head Suharini Eliawati; and PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya President Director Pamrihadi Wiraryo.

KPKP Agency Head Suharini Eliawati uttered that the Joint Rice Harvest event this time was attended by nine farmer groups totaling around 350 farmers in Rorotan, North Jakarta.

"Alhamdulillah, seven of these groups have received KUR from BRI for Rp 10 million per each with an easy licensing process by simply having a Business Identification Number. Bank Indonesia representatives are also present to support technology," she said.

She explained other stakeholders who collaborate and play a role in rice production in Jakarta include private land owners, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Center for the Assessment and Application of Agricultural Technology, the Central Statistics Agency for Jakarta, and Bank BRI. Jakarta Baznas Bazis provided support in the form of food packages for 243 farmers and PT Syngenta provided personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant pest control.

"We took them (Baznas Bazis) to help farmers and children for education. Today, about 8 tons of rice will be released for Rp 38.5 million. Hopefully, in the future, Food Station is willing to cooperate with farmer groups in Jakarta. It is true what was explained before; the area of agricultural land in North, East, and West Jakarta is about 414 hectares; and the largest is in North Jakarta," she added.

As for the information, Jakarta still has paddy fields planted with rice with a total area of 414 hectares with a total of 454 working farmers. The area of rice fields in the three areas of Jakarta is 45 Ha (West Jakarta), 28 Ha (East Jakarta), and 341 Ha (North Jakarta). The area of raw rice fields was stated in the Minister/BPN Head's Decree number 686/SK-PG.03.03/XII/2019 on December 17, 2019.

Most of the paddy fields in North Jakarta are privately owned, such as PT KBN, PT Nusa Kirana, Jakpro, and Sumarecon. The rice fields owned by farmers are approximately 12 hectares with a total of 243 working farmers from nine farmer groups. The types of rice planted are usually Ciherang, Situ Bageundit, and Inpari 30 varieties.