Reducing the Risk of Crop Failure, Vice President Encourages Modern Hydroponic Agriculture

Karawang, wapresri.go.id – The food crisis is currently becoming a global issue in many countries. Not only because of the political situation, but post-pandemic recovery, and climate crisis also affects national food security. For this reason, technology-based measures are needed for the public interest.

“This is what we want to develop, there is a modification method in planting so that the risk of crop failure is minimized,” said Vice President K.H. Ma’ruf Amin when visiting Batamindo Green Farm, Jl. The hill town of Indah Raya, Cikampek, Karawang Regency, West Java, Thursday (15/09/2022).

The Vice President further said that this modern hydroponic planting method will also be developed in Islamic boarding schools. Not only to provide added value to the pesantren but also to meet the food needs of the surrounding community.

“This model will later be developed in a small scope in pesantren, in addition to empowering pesantren as well as for the needs of the surrounding environment,” he said.

In line with the Vice President, the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, hoped that by modifying this method of growing vegetables, it can meet the food needs of West Java and Indonesia in general.

“I see this is one of the solutions to overcome inflation because these such mountain vegetables can be grown in hot areas, so we hope that food security in West Java and Indonesia can be managed to be more measurable by minimizing crop failures,” he hoped.

Meanwhile, the Director of Batamindo Green Farm Franciscus Welirang explained that this agricultural land uses modern hydroponic methods, where harvest time can be more planned to reduce the risk of crop failure.

“This is technological agriculture, also in dealing with climate change, we try to deal with the climate and adapt it to efficient use of water therefore crop failures will be reduced and planned,” he explained.

For information, Batamindo Green Farm is managed by PT Singapore Fresh Green Makmur. This agricultural company produces vegetables through the hydroponic method.

Present for the first time in Batam in 2020 with a land area of 40Ha and producing a harvest of 5,000 MT/year. At the end of 2021, Batamindo Green Farm will expand by opening 150 hectares of land in Java with a production target of 22,350 MT/year to meet domestic and foreign food needs.

Also present at the time, were Deputy Minister of Agriculture Harvick Hasnul Qolbi and Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktabar.

Meanwhile, the Vice President was accompanied by the Head of the Vice President Secretariat Ahmad Erani Yustika, Deputy for Human Development Policy Support and Equality Development Suprayoga Hadi, Special Staff for the Vice President Masduki Baidlowi, Muhammad Imam Azis, and Masykuri Abdillah (SM/LHS-BPMI, Setwapres)