Lack of access to information and technology of best rice cultivation, agro-inputs, markets and capital in Indonesia is part of the challenges to meet the country’s population growth rate of 1.49% per year. Efforts to increase the rice production to meet the demand of about 275 million Indonesian people by 2025 are necessary.
Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA), a Public Private Partnerships programme facilitated by GIZ and BASF, sets to increase the rice productivity and sustainable market access in its four pilot countries, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
In Indonesia, together with the government as counterparts, BRIA introduces four main technologies on rice during BRIA Field School in North Sumatra and East Java including; (1) seed technology which introducing qualified and labelled seed along with seed selection and seed treatment; (2) balanced fertilization by considering soil nutrient status through soil test kit (PUTS); (3) ‘jajar legowo’ planting method to increase crop population; and (4) Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Also, in cooperation with Rice Seed Grower Association of North Sumatra, BRIA, a sister project of ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems, has increased availability of qualified and labelled seed by establishing and strengthening 36 seed grower at farmer groups’ level in Indonesia.
BRIA Indonesia carried out an expo on 9 March 2017 to spread over better understanding among stakeholders to work collaboratively for livelihood improvement of Indonesian rice farmers.
The event was inaugurated by Mrs. Sri Kuntarsih, Director of Capital and Agricultural Investment, General Director of Infrastructure and Facility, Ministry of Agriculture of Republic Indonesia and attended by 200 participants from various interests such as farmers, government and private sectors.
At least 7 institutions were located in 5 booths; the Association of Seed Grower (APBP) assisted rice farmers to use high quality and certified seed; Agricultural Insurance (JASINDO) introduced crop insurance programme to farmers to protect farmers’ rice field from getting loss due to disaster and pest outbreaks; Institute of Agricultural Technology Assesment (BPTP) presented the dissemination of new technology in rice cultivation; Bank of Indonesia (BI) together with Bank of People of Indonesia (BRI) introduced “Si Apik”- a new apps to record financial information for rice farmers and how they may get capital access from the bank; and MyCrop introduced a-user-friendly application for sustainable rice production for farmers that can be easily installed in a mobile android phone or tablet.
BRIA Expo 2017 took place in MICC Building Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Read more at BRIA Expo short report
