Agricultural equipment and machinery assistance provided to ten farmer groups in East Kutai Regency included cultivator tools, chili seeds, shallot seeds, mulch, and fertilizers.
Heaptalk, Jakarta — The East Kutai Food Crops, Horticulture, and Livestock Department (DTPHP) distributed assistance in the form of agricultural equipment and machinery to ten farmer groups in several districts in East Kutai. East Kutai Regent Ardiansyah Sulaiman symbolically handed over the assistance which took place at the Sukses Makmur Bersama Farmers Group, on Simono Street, Teluk Lingga Village, North Sangatta District (06/13).
Assistance with agricultural tools and machines includes cultivator tools, chili seeds, shallot seeds, mulch, and fertilizers. There are ten groups of farmers who received assistance, namely Hasil Makmur, Bumi Makmur, Rawa Tani Jaya, Sukses Makmur Bersama, Lestari Mandiri Jaya, Karya Bersama, Simono Sejahtera, Polantan Berkah, Prima Tani, and Prima Mandiri. In addition to handing over the aid, the activity was coupled with the planting of shallots.
Attending the activity, East Kutai Regent Ardiansyah Sulaiman instructed the Head of the Food Crops, Horticulture, and Livestock Department, Dyah Ratnaningrum to take a thorough inventory of the needs of farmers, one of which is cultivators.
This step is to support the development and increase agricultural output in East Kutai. Ardiansyah said, “Now that need has been provided and gradually the government will provide it to all existing farmer groups.”
Apart from that, Ardiansyah expressed his gratitude as farmers were still able to produce several commodities despite marketing constraints. “Farmers still have great opportunities to increase and develop their productivity, including expanding their farming business,” he added.
Further, Ardiansyah said that his party would support farmers through multiple programs to improve the quality and capacity of farmers and agricultural products in the regency. Currently, the agrarian sector is the largest contributor to development in Indonesia, followed by the tourism and mining sectors.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Food Crops, Horticulture, and Livestock Department, Dyah Ratnaningrum, said that currently, the local government is starting to be selective in providing assistance, particularly agricultural equipment and machinery. This is an effort to see the sincerity of farmers in running their farming businesses.
“We have a team that goes to the field for surveys to ensure the activeness of farmer groups. We will not let them solely ask for help but they do not actually cultivate the land,” said Dyah.
