Agricom.id, MINAHASA – Governor of North Sulawesi, Olly Dondokambey accelerated the farmers to plant paddy to anticipate the food insecurity or to make the food stock better in and after corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic. This is about to maximize the Operasi Daerah Selesaikan Kemiskinan (ODSK) program in agriculture sector.

“The agriculture guard in North Sulawesi keeps fighting for the Covid-19 pandemic and triggering the farmers to plant paddy more and more to realize "Sulut Semakin Hebat" and welfare the farmers," Olly said in the Village of Touliang, Sub district of Kakas Barat, District of Minahasa, Wednesday (17/6/2020), as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

Olly directly cultivated the farmers’ areas for about 5 hectares (ha) of 200 ha. He did plant the paddy as the start of paddy planting in the second planting in 2020.

"By the presence of the agriculture system tool – guard in North Sulawesi, there would be no abandoned areas. The farmers may sleep but the areas should not,” he said.

He also said that the government fully support the farmers (as the main actors in agriculture) to realize the food security in the province.

“The government would cooperate with the groups, prepare the production infrastructure. There would be seeds because it is the time that North Sulawesi is as the superior seeds producer, such as, local paddy, corn, and bean,” he said.

In the ceremony, he without hesitation drove the 4 vehicle – tractor (TR4) to cultivate the areas to plant. Regional Secretary of North Sulawesi, the members of legislators, Head of Plantation Agency and Livestock, North Sulawesi, Ir.Novly Wowiling, MSi., Head of Plantation Agency of Minahasa, Jietty Roring, SP.; and chairman of Himpunan Kerukunan Tani Indonesia (HKTI) of Minahasa did the same too.

Head of Plantation Agency and Livestock, North Sulawesi Province, Novly Wowiling said that the farmers need mechanism in agriculture to realize the maximal harvests.

“By the mechanism, it would be better to increase the food production. The farmers would be too,” he said.

For information, the ceremony was done by prioritizing the health protocol in the Covid-19 pandemic in the new normality era. Before the ceremony, the participants were checked and limited in the location.

In the other spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi emphasized that based on what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo said, ministry of agriculture is committed to get the production target to fulfill the food needs.

The planting areas in the second planting in 2020 would be 5,6 million hectares. He also asked for his officer in the directorate to monitor every region to plant immediately, including paddy in North Sulawesi

“Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo warned the drought as FAO did too. This is our work to respond immediately by making the strategies to anticipate it,” he said.

Ministry of Agriculture has implemented Gerakan Percepatan Olah Tanah (GPOT) and planting in June to September 2020. As the stimulant, ministry of agriculture would distribute helps so that the farmers could re-cultivate their areas. The helps are seeds, fertilizers, tools, insurance, and also kredit usaha rakyat (KUR).

"The planting acceleration is about to secure the production, to maintain the food stability, and anticipate the dry season which may be the hardest one in August 2020. After pandemic, Indonesia could avoid the food crisis,” Suwandi said. (A2)