Fajarasia.co – During her working visit to Bali, the Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, inspected agricultural locations in Badung Regency. He also participated in planting rice with farmers.
The rice planting activity was held in the Medium Indigenous Village, Abiansamel, Badung, Wednesday (28/9/2022). Puan grows Inpari 32 rice which produces 7-9 per ton of rice per hectare.
Together with 10 farmers from Medium Village, Puan planted rice seeds interspersed with small talk. Every now and then, they seemed to laugh because the chat was wrapped in jokes.
The organizers of the event were worried that Puan’s clothes would get dirty because the soil on the farm was quite deep. Even Puan’s boots fell into the ground.
“The name is planting in the fields, yes it must be dirty,” said Puan casually making the farmers laugh.
The head of the Medium Village Farmers/Subak Pasekan Group, Agus Gede Widita, revealed that agriculture in his area is currently reviving as a positive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Because after Bali’s tourism slumped due to Covid-19, people who before the pandemic worked in the tourism sector finally returned to their villages to farm.
“The result is increased food security, helping the people’s economy from agricultural products. Hopefully, with Mbak Puan Maharani planting, the people will harvest more,” said Agus.
After planting rice, Puan then reviewed the exhibition of SMEs produced by local agricultural products, ranging from vegetables, rice, to rice. He also praised the agricultural products of Medium Village, moreover the vegetables looked very good.
“The vegetables here are fresh and big,” said Puan while buying agricultural products on display such as red beans, eggplant, and cucumber.
After reviewing the exhibition of agricultural products, the first woman who served as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives had a dialogue with the residents. There were more than 2,000 residents who attended the dialogue with Puan.
Puan then called a number of residents to talk directly with her on the podium. One of them is Ketut Raka, a flower farmer who also sells offerings.
Ketut Raka said that the current interest rates are very cheap. Meanwhile, he needs enough funds because his son is sick with folio. Puan then provided assistance with a wheelchair.
The local traditional village head, Gusti Ngurah Jaya Putra, also conveyed his aspirations in front of Puan. According to him, the agricultural problem in Medium Village is that there is a lot of waste dumped in the irrigation.
“We want a landfill (TPS). We have given up village land for TPS but there is no funds to build it,” said Ngurah Jaya.
Puan then promised to help convey aspirations regarding TPS to the government. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) has such a program.
“I will follow up so that later there will be a waste processing machine here,” said Puan.
A number of farmers also complained about the lack of agricultural subsidies because the government’s budget was refocused on health, including the reduction of fertilizer commodities. Puan said she would encourage the Government to increase assistance for farmers.
“I will present a clear and tangible solution in accordance with the authority of the DPR-RI. Farmers have been the source of life for the Indonesian people, farmers have also contributed to maintaining the inflation rate,” said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.
“In fact, I received information that in Bali, agricultural products have become the wheel of economic cycle in Bali,” added Puan.
Puan also appreciated the farmers in Badung who were involved in the downstream agricultural sector through MSME products.
“Because the added value is indeed large downstream,” concluded the grandson of the Proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia, Bung Karno.****
