Government optimizes dryland horticulture farming in 13 regions

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is ready to optimize dryland areas for horticulture development through the Horticulture Development in Dryland Areas Project (HDDAP).

According to Horticulture Protection Director at the Ministry’s Directorate General of Horticulture, Leli Nuryati, the project, planned for the 2024-2029 period, will cover 13 regencies in seven provinces. It targets the development of 10,000 hectares, or 1,000 horticulture clusters, involving 25,000 farmers.

“Indonesia’s drylands are like a sleeping giant. With their great potential, these marginal lands can be a driver of village economies, including through horticulture development,” she said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Ministry data show that Indonesia’s dryland potential reaches 144.31 million hectares, of which 91.53 million hectares (63.4 percent) are potentially suitable for agriculture.

Of that 91.53 million hectares potential, around 1.09 million hectares (1.19 percent) are suitable for highland vegetable horticulture cultivation and 53.59 million hectares (58.55 percent) for fruit crops.

“Unfortunately, horticulture cultivation on these drylands is not yet optimal,” she said during a webinar on Strengthening Protection and Seed Systems in the Horticulture Upstream-Downstream Ecosystem under HDDAP, organized by Sinar Tani Tabloid.

HDDAP covers a wide range of horticultural commodities, from fruits and vegetables to medicinal plants.

In North Sumatra, the project is located in Pakpak Bharat, Dairi, and Karo, with chili, shallots, potatoes, carrots, citrus, and salak (snake fruit).

In Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, the commodities are avocado and ginger, while in Buleleng, Bali, they are durian, mangosteen, shallots, and leafy vegetables. In Enrekang and Gowa, South Sulawesi, the focus is on shallots, potatoes, and chili.

On Java, activities in East Java take place in Sumenep, Lumajang, and Gresik, with bananas, shallots, chili, and turmeric. In Central Java, HDDAP targets Batang and Wonosobo regencies through the development of avocado, banana, potato, and salak, while in West Java, it covers Sumedang with mango and chili.

Leli said that under the HDDAP design, plant protection is one element of a component that covers improved inputs, land, infrastructure, and water services.

This component also includes seed and seedling production, soil fertility, water and land infrastructure, as well as cultivation practices and agricultural machinery.

To support horticulture protection, the Directorate of Horticulture Protection is preparing capacity building for plant pest and disease observers (POPT), facilitation of protection tools, implementation of environmentally friendly pest control, and development of soil microbiology production units.

Meanwhile, Director of Horticulture Seed Production at the Ministry of Agriculture Muhammad Agung Sunusi said HDDAP is a concrete step toward building a stronger seed system over the next three years.

Local genetic resources will be a key focus, supported by investment in research and development, infrastructure, and the strengthening of seed institutions.

“Through the HDDAP project, over the next three years we will focus optimally on 12 regencies/cities, with local genetic resources as the main priority,” he said.

According to Agung, seed development must run from upstream to downstream. Strengthening begins with Horticulture Seed Centers (BBH), followed by oversight from Plant Seed Inspectors (PBT), and then involves seed breeders and farmer economic institutions (KEP) before the seeds reach farmers.

Chairman of the Adhi Guna Farm Farmers Group in Wonosobo, Central Java, Adhi Nurcholis, said his group has been given the responsibility of supplying seeds to meet the needs of farmers within one HDDAP cluster.

He hopes the involvement of local seed breeders will make it easier for farmers to obtain quality seeds at affordable prices. With seeds available near their areas, farmers will not have to depend heavily on supplies from outside the region.

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Translator: Subagyo, Fauzul Azhim Bin Fakhrurazi
Editor: Primayanti
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