Seven Thousand People Participate in the Campaign of Local Fruit Preference
Approximately seven thousand people crowded the Casual Walk and Cycling (JSS) for the initial campaign program of Local Fruit Preference, organized by the Alumni Association of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB-HA) in the East Parking Area of Senayan, Jakarta (10 / 7).
"They come from the big family of IPB alumni and academicians as well as the general public from various regions throughout Indonesia," said Chairman of the Organizing Committee of JSS, Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf, who is also the Director of LKBN Antara.
This activity was attended by a number of figures such as Mustafa Abu Bakar (Minister for State Enterprises), Suswono (Agriculture Minister), Bowo (Governor of DKI Jakarta), Herry Suhardiyanto (Rector of IPB), Muhammad Said Didu (Chairman of the IPB Alumni Association) and various leaders of government institutions, as well as leaders from various professions. They were together walking and cycling to support the campaign of Local Fruit Preference.
Muhammad Said Didu said that this is an initial step to encourage all stakeholders to jointly raise the dignity of domestic products, especially the fruits of Indonesia.
"There will be a follow-up program to be carried out massively and systematically so that the fruits of Indonesia can thrive in their own country," he explained.
Didu called on those managing the state, private, hotels, and restaurants to serve a menu of local fruit every Friday.
Such drive is due to the increasingly set-aside local fruits as a result of some aspects such as the lack of quality seed, low interest of new farmers to fruit products, inadequate infrastructure of fruit logistics, changing behavior of consumers to prefer imported products, increasingly easy to get cheaper imported fruits and lack of support in the fiscal policy for the local fruit of Indonesia.
"This campaign is to encourage all parties to pay attention to the development of local fruit. The pride of local fruit will encourage economic independence, an increased competitiveness of local fruit, fruit farmer empowerment and nation’s image in the eyes of the world." said Didu
Meanwhile, the Rector of IPB in his speech said, this is the proof that IPB communities are agricultural communities who love local fruits, and today is also the starting moment to campaign for the consumption of local the products produced by our own country, not to consume foreign or imported products.
"I hope the local fruits will thrive in our own country," he said.
Rector also says that professors, researchers, and students who have been doing research on the local fruit are no longer feeling lonely because today many IPB alumni are showing their love for the local fruits.
"I hope there would be more and more studies by IPB and do not forget to visit IPB website in which many things can be shared; in this way the contribution of IPB will be easily accessible by the public," he said
While taking a walk and cycling, the participants also got native fruit seedlings of Indonesia free of charge, such as guava, jackfruit, durian, hairy fruit, mango and a variety of other fruits. For those who want to see the local fruit products, the committee held a Farmer Market and Indonesian Local Fruit Products Exhibition. Various regions also displayed the diversity of fruits of their respective areas of excellence. Participants were also treated with various types of local fruits along the road passed by the participants who walked and cycled.
The Campaign of Local Fruit Preference held for the year of 2011-2012 consists of the following:
1. Proposing Friday as the National Fruit Day
2. Advocacy of local fruit consumption in the State institutions, government agencies, food and beverages industry, hotel, catering and retailers.
3. Encouraging the application of SNI for Indonesian Fruit.
4. Encouraging the implementation of quality standards for imported fruit
5. Encouraging fiscal policy in supporting Indonesian local fruits by imposing higher import duties for imported fruit.
6. Encouraging governments to improve the trade system and infrastructure for production and fruit trade.
7. Promoting the birth of new entrepreneurial farmers and Indonesian local fruit traders through various programs.
8. Developing fruit gardens registered at the Directorate General of Horticulture, the Ministry of Agriculture, which account for about 2000 gardens and have implemented GAP (Good Agricultural Practice,) in order to have better competitiveness in business and become a business incubator for new entrepreneurs in the field of production and trade of local fruits from Indonesia.
9. Bridging the fruit entrepreneurial development partnership program with the related State-Owned Enterprises.
10. Optimizing research and educational institutions to encourage partnerships and strengthen the program of new entrepreneurship in the field of production and fruit trade.
17 Buses Make CWS (Casual Walk and Cycling) a Success
The East Parking lot of Senayan became the witness of CWC. It took the route of Jalan Sudirman, Hotel Indonesia roundabout to the East Parking Lot of Senayan. The event grew more alive through the direction of the famous MCs Tike and Ronald, and with the offer of a wide range of door prizes. IPB also supported this event by sending as many as 17 buses carrying IPB academic communities.
"During the period of managing Vehicle Unit of IPB, this is the first time we are using all existing vehicles – 17 buses at the same time," said Bus Manager of IPB, Rusmono. (Mtd)
