VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to come up with a solution to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on imports of food commodities, such as garlic, sugar, corn, and soybeans.

"I have asked that the issues regarding these items must be resolved -- on garlic, sugar, corn, soybeans, and other commodities that are still imported. These should be noted and designed well in order for us to immediately overcome the challenge," said President Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

He made the remarks while opening the 2021 National Working Meeting on Agricultural Development.

"We know that Indonesia's population has reached more than 270 million. Therefore, food-related management must be serious; we have to take agricultural development seriously, especially with regard to imported agricultural commodities," he added.

President Jokowi also mentioned a number of food commodities that are still imported in large quantities by Indonesia.

"Be cautious with (imports of) soybeans, corn, sugar, these are still (in) millions of tonnes. With garlic and rice, even though we haven't imported rice for almost 2 years, but I want to see the reality in the field, whether it is true that it can be consistent throughout the years to come," he remarked.

President Widodo also requested that the Ministry of Agriculture refrain from carrying out conventional and monotonous activities from year to year.

"We have to build an area that is on an economic scale, it cannot be small anymore. That is why I urge this food estate to be completed at least this year, which in North Sumatra and in Central Kalimantan will be resolved," he added.

The government is developing Kapuas district and Pulau Pisau district in Central Kalimantan and Humbang Hasundutan district in North Sumatra as food estate locations.

"We will evaluate the problems in the field, (determine) what technology is lacking. Also, (we will focus on) using technology in the food estate because it will be an example. If everything is true, it can be an example, all provinces just come to copy," said the President.

However, he directed that food estates be developed over a large area so as to create an economic scale.

"Soybeans can grow well. Why don't our farmers want to plant them? Because the price is lower than that of imported soybeans. Farmers are told to sell at import prices, and production prices do not meet that, so they must be (grown) in large quantities so that they (farmers can) fight import prices," he said.

The President also directed that the problem of production be resolved as it would require Indonesia to grow a number of food commodities, such as garlic, sugar, corn, soybeans, and other commodities.

President Widodo also asked the Ministry of Agriculture to find a large area of land so that farmers can plant these commodities on a large scale.

"Look for land suitable for soybeans, but not 1-2 hectares, 10 hectares, but 100 thousand, 300 thousand, 500 thousand, 1 million hectares are (what you should be) looking for. The corn business is looking for land that can be planted with corn on a large scale, this will solve the problem," he added.

The President emphasized that the development of the agricultural sector can no longer be carried out in a conventional and routine manner, rather, it requires breakthroughs and innovations.

He said he wants food estate development to be completed this year as that way it can serve as a model for other regions.

“(It needs to be built) on a large scale. It is not effective if we produce a little bit, it will not affect anything with the import," he explained. (Antaranews)

Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinovac dispatched another 15 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in bulk to Indonesia on Tuesday.

The Garuda Indonesia aircraft, carrying the vaccine doses, departed from Beijing at 6:33 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta's western outskirts of Tangerang at 00:10 p.m. local time.

"The vaccine doses, sent in bulk using refrigerated containers, will be developed and packed at Biofarma (the plant in Bandung)," Indonesian Vice Ambassador to China Dino Kusnadi stated on Tuesday.

Sinovac had earlier sent 1.2 million doses and 1.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Indonesia.

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Indonesia is one of the first countries to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in bulk after Sinovac and Biofarma inked a cooperation agreement in Hainan, China, in August 2020.

Shipment of the vaccine in bulk involved the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and Indonesian Embassy in China to help the export licensing process.

In addition to Sinovac, the Indonesian government has been on the lookout for other sources of the vaccine. 
"Indonesia has signed a commitment letter for the supply of 50 million doses of the vaccine from the US company Novavax that used the sub-recombinant protein platform and 50 million doses from British company AstraZeneca that used the viral factor platform," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated recently.

AstraZeneca's vaccine has received the emergency-use authorization (EUA) from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

"This is good news for us because the MHRA is a regulator that has in place a reliance mechanism with the BPOM, Indonesia's Food and Drug Control Agency. With this mechanism, EUA issuance for AstraZeneca will become easier, as it could be used as a basis and review to issue EUA in Indonesia," Marsudi elaborated.

Indonesia has ordered the COVID-19 vaccine from various sources: 125 million doses from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd; 100 million doses of US-Canada's Novavax; 100 million doses from British AstraZeneca; 100 million doses from Germany-US' Pfizer; and 16-100 million doses of free vaccine from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) as part of a multilateral cooperation. (antaranews)

The third phase of the Covid-19 vaccine arrives on Tuesday (12/1/2021) at around 12:20 WIB this afternoon.

The Covid-19 vaccine was welcomed by several ministers and other state officials such as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, and Head of BNPB as Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Lt. Gen. TNI Doni Monardo.

Previously, Erick Thohir on his Instagram account expressed his appreciation for the halal Covid-19 vaccine based on the decision of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

"Alhamdulillah, a halal fatwa decision has been issued from the Fatwa Committee of the Indonesian Ulema Council and an approval for emergency use from BPOM RI for the COVID-19 Vaccine made by Sinovac in collaboration with Bio Farma," said Erick.

According to him, this news is cool news and is very much awaited.

"Now, health workers, public services and the community can be vaccinated without a doubt," he said.

With this MUI fatwa, he continued, the Sinovac vaccine is safe, efficacious, and halal.

"God willing, vaccination accompanied by a disciplined health protocol will protect oneself, the surrounding people, and the country," he hoped.

It is known, the initial stage of Covid-19 vaccination in Indonesia will begin on Wednesday (13/1/2021), with a target of 40.2 million vaccine recipients.

Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito revealed that the main purpose of vaccination during a pandemic is to create herd immunity.

Vaccination is also expected to reduce the transmission/transmission of Covid-19, reduce morbidity and mortality due to the coronavirus. (RRI)

Immunization expert, dr. Elizabeth Jane Soepardi said that there are no vaccine efficacy that could reach 100 percent.

"Some could reach 78 percent, some other reach 90 percent. This means that there is still a 10-25 percent chance of contracting the disease. But the illness is not severe and the infection rate will also drop dramatically so that it can reduce the death rate and hospital burden," said Elizabeth, Monday (11/1/2021).

Elizabeth said that 65 percent of the vaccine's efficacy is still beneficial for protecting yourself, your family, and others.

"The 65 percent efficacy is still better than no protection. Especially now that the hospital is getting full. We need the Covid-19 vaccine to increase immunity and reduce the number of virus transmission, "he said.

Elizabeth said, to determine the efficacy of a vaccine, researchers and experts are certainly not arbitrary in determining the rules.

As is known, WHO provides a minimum requirement for the efficacy of the vaccine by 50 percent, so that if 100 people are injected, then at least 50 people are immune.

"In fact, the Covid-19 vaccines are capable of having efficacy above 50 percent. There is an efficacy value of 78 percent in Brazil, some up to close to 90 percent, even above 90 percent. This means that we don't have to be picky about brands. As long as the efficacy is above 50 percent and obtaining a use permit from the BPOM, it is certain that it is safe, high quality, and efficacious, "he said.

The assessment that has been issued by the POM on the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine is 65.3 percent, this shows that this vaccine is believed to be able to reduce transmission by 65.3 percent and higher than the WHO provisions for the minimum efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine. (RRI)