Ma’ruf Amin Encourages Indonesia’s Food Independence

Vice President of Indonesia K. H. Ma’ruf Amin encourages Indonesia’s food independence. This encouragement is carried out by the government that predicted the food crisis will be a challenge in 2023. Therefore, food independence needs to be mobilized. Especially for corn and coffee commodities.

“We encourage food independence, we have started from now. There should be no land that is dormant and no laborers who are unemployed,” said Ma’ruf Amin at the Coffee Table shop, Pacific Permai Dok II Ruko Jayapura, Papua Province (29/11/2022 ).

Downstream Program for Corn

Reported by tantrum.suara.com, Ma’ruf Amin acknowledged that Indonesia’s corn production was still insufficient. He explained that it is necessary to make efforts to develop corn as a food ingredient. Reflecting on these facts, he said that he would support efforts to plant corn with the downstream program.

“We fully support efforts to plant corn, so that it goes from upstream to downstream,” added Ma’ruf Amin.

He explained that these efforts could be realized in Papua. He hopes that the younger generation of Papua can become the pioneers of this movement. He also hopes that high initiatives will emerge in realizing self-sufficiency and food security in Indonesia.

“Therefore, this Inspirational Young Papuan generation must be a pioneer in order to make it all happen,” he said.

Lita Numberi, the owner of the Coffee Table shop and a member of the Papua Young Inspirational community, said that 80 hectares of corn had been planted. The planting was carried out by millennial farmers to help empower the community. The planting of the land is expected to be used by the community for animal feed.

“Millennial farmers have harvested 80 hectares of corn land. We ask for your support there because we are empowering the people there,” explained Lita.

Coffee Expands Its Export Reach

According wartaekonomi.co.id, based on data from the Ministry of Trade, Indonesia coffee exports have managed to reached US$394 million for January to May 2022 period. This achievement increased 37 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

“This is of course a big opportunity for coffee business actors, to expand their wings overseas,” explained Ma’ruf Amin.

On that occasion, he also explained that Indonesia is the fourth largest coffee producing country in the world. The first rank was won by Brazil, followed by Vietnam and Colombia. Ma’ruf Amin hopes that Indonesian coffee can expand its export reach, especially Papuan coffee.

“I hope this Papuan coffee will become global coffee,” he said.

Lita Numberi, explained that the coffee in the Meja Kopi shop is the result of mentoring and coaching to farmers. This assistance is given to farmers who are members of the Inspiring Young Papua community.

“We, from Inspirational Young Papua, provide assistance to farmers in the Bintang Mountains, Wamena. We take the coffee as a product here,” explained Lita.