VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The International Monetary Fund -IMF predicts the impacts of  the Corona virus or Covid-19 outbreak will be the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s, or almost a century ago. This is very reasonable because due to the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all economic sectors in the world have been  totally paralyzed. Starting from the airlines to the manufacturing industry, the impacts have  reduced and even stopped operations and have to lay off employees. The reason is that  many countries in the world impose restrictions on the movement of their citizens to break this deadly virus chain of spread. 

The predicted negative global economic impact of the  Covid-19 pandemic certainly hits the global economic growth. Indonesia also undergoes the adverse effects. This year, the IMF predicts that the Indonesian economy will only grow 0.5% from the previous 5.0% in 2019. 

Behind the threat of economic recession as a result of the paralysized some economic sectors, there are sectors that have a great opportunity to be the driving force of the Indonesian economy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic researcher from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), Abra Tallatov in an online seminar in Jakarta on Friday night (17/4) stated this. According to him, they are the health sector and information communication technology (ICT) industry such as e-commerce or online trading. 

It’s worth knowing that during this pandemic, many people need medical equipment such as masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical staff, which are increasingly rare and expensive. This situation prompted several business sectors to become producers of medical devices. This transition, in addition to making it easier for the public and medical staff to obtain medical devices at affordable prices, also helps reduce unemployment. 

Besides the medical devices, e-commerce business is also a major public need for transactions in the Covid-19 pandemic. Because people are afraid to shop directly or offline,   some purchases are made online through an e-commerce platform. No wonder many local e-commerce platforms have emerged, especially to meet the needs for food. This helps consumers in the process of buying goods and farmers and traders market their wares. 

The Covid-19 pandemic indeed paralyzes the economy, but that does not mean people should  accept the situation with resignation. Many can be utilized and become a new source of income for people who are creative and can see opportunities. It is hoped, albeit indirectly, the opportunity can still increase national economic growth.

Indonesia's sea wealth is enormous and its sea area reaches 2.3 million square kilometers. If managed properly, Indonesia can be independent in producing sea fish without importing from other countries. In this regard, the student of the Sepuluh November Technology Institute (ITS), Alfian Bimanjaya tried to make a new breakthrough named the Fisheries Potential Information System -SIRIPIKAN in the international competition Esri Young Scholars Award 2020 last March. He won two achievements at the same time. He successfully came out as runner-up and he was favorite among the finalists.

SIRIPIKAN was made with the primary objective to provide geospatial information about the potential of fisheries to improve the effectiveness of fishing activities and fish distribution activities. In addition, SIRIPIKAN also comes with several spatial analysis features, such as proximity analysis, direction search, route, and travel time which are still rarely provided by other similar applications today. In making SIRIPIKAN, Alfian used remote sensing technology, specifically the Moderate Resolution Imaging Specter-radio-meter satellite imagery to determine the Potential Fishing Zones. Geographic Information System (GIS) Technology is also used to analyze and present geospatial information on the distribution of Potential Fishing Zones.

Alfian explained that from the features possessed, the use of SIRIPIKAN can be used by not only fishermen as a supplier of capture fish, but also distributors and fish traders. The community as fish consumers can also use this technology, as well as the government as the party that takes the policy. SIRIPIKAN still needs a lot of development, especially in terms of data updating. At present, information on Potential Fishing Zones is still available periodically on a monthly basis. In the future, SIRIPIKAN can provide Potential Fishing Zones information every week, even updated every day.

Wuhan has become an open city again after declaring zero percent of new Covid-19 virus. However, latest data shows there are still new cases of corona in China. Some infected people even died in Jia City, Hinan. Similar facts have  also to  be faced by South Korea. After briefly controlling the infection rate with large-scale testing, it was found out that people who had recovered,  felt recurrence of  Covid 19 attack symptoms, plus a number of new cases. Singapore which was able to suppress the smallest infection rates compared to other Asean countries, now faces an increase in the potential for infection which is quite high.

There are several factors that can be examined from the cases of China, South Korea and Singapore. China received a number of new cases of corona virus infection after Wuhan was declared an open city. So when a country reaches the peak of the first corona attack, it seems after a long pause, a second wave of attacks emerges.

According to Dicky Budiawan, an Indonesian Epidemiologist, doctoral candidate from Griffith University Australia, the second wave of corona virus is when an area has reached the peak of corona virus pressure, then there is a decrease. After a phase of decreasing  number of infections, a surge in cases occurs again. Of  the second surge with a rate of 3-10 Percent of the population,  90 Percent is the population that has not been exposed before.

So referring  to it, the conditions of each country can be examined. Most countries in the world have  not yet reached the peak of  Covid-19 outbreak. After that happened, then they must prepare to face the second attack.

The journey to deal with this virus still seems to be quite long, due to  the potential for attacks and even to the second wave. Efforts for a  vaccine discovery  are now continue  being  carried out by several countries. The world is now waiting anxiously  for the result,  so that Covid19 virus can be curbed once and for all. Hopefully, there will be no more infected people or death toll then, and things could return to normal again.  

The Ministry of Agriculture on Monday (Apr13) inaugurated 67 Millennial Farmer Ambassadors and Main Farmer Ambassadors from a number of provinces as an effort to regenerate farmers. Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo, while watching the virtual inauguration ceremony in Jakarta on Monday said, when the COVID-19 pandemic is still faced by a number of countries, including Indonesia, agricultural sector is increasingly needed to meet food necessity.

Syahrul Yasin Limpo said, as long as the COVID-19 still outbreak, more people need  effective, efficient and transparent agriculture. This can be done through millennial and modern farmers. The Minister of Agriculture confirmed 59 Millennial Farmer Ambassadors aged between 19-39 years and 8 Leading Farmer Ambassadors aged over 39 years. The farmers' ambassadors came from various aspects of commodities, such as food crops, plantations, livestock and horticulture. Moreover, the Agriculture Ministry also provides agricultural extension workers who assist farmers to transfer agricultural innovations and information technology so that they can produce successful farmers.

On the same occasion, Head of the Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development Agency, Dedi Nursyamsi explained, this inauguration aims to accelerate the regeneration of farmers by increasing the role of young generation in developing and advancing the agricultural sector to be more prospective . Therefore, Nursyamsi considered that young farmers are needed to give contribution to the agricultural development renewal movements. The farmer’s ambassadors are expected to be able to attract other millennial to be agricultural entrepreneurs. In addition, it is able to accelerate advocacy to the community especially related to the Ministry's programs, so that the program can be implemented quickly.

Dedi asserted, in the face of COVID-19 outbreak, agriculture is the frontline for preventing infection because it plays an important role in fulfilling food necessities to maintain the body's immunity. On that occasion, there had also been established the management of the Millennial Farmers Ambassador Forum and the Leading Farmers Ambassadors Forum as well as the provincial coordinator chaired by Sandi Octa Susila.