Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono invited Japan to invest in Indonesia and intensify cooperation in the agricultural sector, including trade, training, and agricultural technology.
"Japan and Indonesia have established a good relationship. We want to expand our cooperation in the agricultural sector, whether it is export-import, transfer of technology, or training," he noted in a statement from his office on Friday.
On Tuesday (October 15), Sudaryono met with Japanese Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Yoichi Watanabe in Tokyo. During the meeting, Sudaryono highlighted Indonesia's potential as a tropical country to produce various agricultural commodities.
He expressed hope that Japan would conduct a transfer of technology to help improve Indonesian horticultural products to meet international quality standards. Moreover, he highlighted that Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto's main focus was food security.
According to Sudaryono, achieving food security requires a modern approach through mechanization, improvement of human resources, and implementation of advanced technology.
One of the efforts to realize national food security is by implementing a program to open new rice fields spanning three million hectares. He stated that the plan would be carried out by utilizing existing land without deforestation.
"To open more rice fields, we will utilize existing land, including swamp land, with the right irrigation system," he explained.
Baca juga: BKKBN, ministry collaborate to accelerate stunting reduction
Hence, Sudaryono expressed hope that Indonesian farmers would be involved in training in Japan and adopt the latest agricultural technology.
"We want Japan to participate in this rice field creation project," he emphasized.
Sudaryono remarked that Prabowo had proposed another program to provide nutritious food for 83 million students.
Baca juga: PET scan machines' local production can reduce medical trips overseas
He noted that the provision of milk and meat for the program also offers opportunities for the private sector to import live cattle. Some 46 domestic and foreign companies are committed to bringing 1.3 million cattle to Indonesia.
"The government will provide support in terms of licensing and prepare one million hectares of land for the cattle. We also hope Japan can be involved in this program," he remarked.
During his working visit to Japan, Sudaryono also attended a discussion by the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) in Tokyo and a dialogue related to policies and initiatives for the agricultural sector, as well as international cooperation with the Bank Indonesia (BI) representative in Tokyo, Japan.
