Dialogue With Chairman of HKTI
Chairman of the HKTI (Association of Indonesian Peasant Leagues), Prabowo Subianto, said the existing current the agricultural problems is not just a matter of economics. In his opinion that the agricultural issue is more important than economic issues. Agricultural issues are national strategic issues as they closely related to the fulfillment of basic human needs, namely food. "No food means no human civilization. No food means no nation and country, therefore agriculture as the most strategic and important factor for national resilience must be prioritized for its development, "said Prabowo in the Dialogue of the National Figures on Mewujudkan Pembangunan Pertanian yang Berkedaulatan dan Mensejahterakan (Sustainalbe and Sovereign Agricultural Development for Farmers Welfare, held by the Directorate of Agricultural Policy and Strategic Studies (DIT KSKP) of IPB, Friday, 28 February 2014, at the Dramaga campus of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).
Further Prabowo stated that Indonesia must be optimistic in developing the future of the national agriculture, as we have plenty of competence agricultural experts. Most of those experts are from IPB who are capable to create innovation technology in agriculture in the broad sense. "Research programs and innovations that are produced by IPB will become important tools for the advancement and development of agricultural sector that finally will improve the prosperity of our farmers, sustainable agricultural development and mainstreaming the nation," he said.
On that special occasion, Rector of IPB, Prof. Dr.. Ir Herry Suhardiyanto, M.Sc, stated that the current food crisis should be terminated as most food production sectors in Indonesia are very dependent on the importation of agricultural commodities. "We need to foster the innovation of agricultural technology that will assist and create opportunities to improve the agricultural products. IPB has the basic role for the development of the agricultural sector as it is the prime mover in the mainstreaming of agriculture. IPB thinks that mainstreaming agriculture is the key factor to make agriculture as the mainstreaming ffor the national development, "said Rector of IPB. (Wied).
