VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated Indonesia’s commitment in handling solid waste at sea by 70 percent by 2025. The commitment was conveyed by Minister Siti Nurbaya before 26 ambassadors, including 10 ambassadors of ASEAN member countries and 16 ambassadors of ASEAN Partner countries, who participated in the ASEAN Coastal Clean Up 2019 event at the Mangrove Natural Park, Angke Kapuk, Jakarta, last Saturday.

Minister Siti Nurbaya said that Indonesia realized the challenges ahead would be even greater. Only through cooperation and collaboration these important problems can be overcome. Siti Nurbaya asserted that the Indonesian government has taken strategic steps in handling solid waste at sea, especially plastic, and has implemented the UN Agenda in 2030 for sustainable development.

These commitments include reducing solid waste at sea by 70 percent by 2025. He said, in the initial steps of this commitment, President Joko Widodo had issued a Presidential Decree on the National Policy and Waste Management Strategy in 2017. President Joko Widodo had also issued a Presidential Decree Number 83 year 2018 which discusses the strategic action plan to deal with marine waste from 2018 to 2025.

Siti Nurbaya also said, Indonesia had prepared a National Action Plan to reduce plastic waste through various activities in collaboration with all stakeholders, including local governments, businesses, communities, who had taken the initiative and innovation in combating this issue.Besides strengthening at home through the collaboration of all parties, Indonesian Government also actively involved in overcoming sea pollution within the framework of international cooperation.

To ensure all of these commitments, Indonesia has established a Regional Capacity Center for Clean Seas (RC3S) in Bali. This center will strengthen capacity building in the field of marine environmental protection from land-based activities.

Meanwhile ASEAN Secretary General, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, who was also present at the ASEAN Coastal Clean Up 2019 appreciated the Indonesian Government in terms of waste management and also appreciated the seriousness of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in involving young people and the community to care for the environment.

Millennial generation seems to be less interested in agriculture. This is one of the biggest challenges in agricultural development in Indonesia as an agricultural country. If this continues, in the future Indonesia will lack of farmers. Being less interested for millennial generation in farming in the long run will make it difficult for the domestic agricultural sector to develop, both in quality and quantity.

To anticipate the problem of the lack of farmers in the future, the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Agriculture launched the "Millennial Farmers Movement" which was carried out early in 2019 and has been promoted in various regions in Indonesia.

The definition of millennial farmers according to the Ministry of Agriculture is young farmers with age between 19 and 39 years or farmers who are not in that age range but having millennial spirit, being responsive to digital technology, and to agricultural tools and machinery.

Through the Millennial Farmers Movement, millennial farmers are considered capable of improving the nation's economy. They are considered to have an adaptive spirit in understanding digital technology, making it easy to identify and verify technology.

To realize this Millennial Farmer Movement, the government recruits millennial youths to be given training or technical guidance, especially in the application of modern farming, so that it is more advanced, creative and innovative.The movement to create millennial farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture is very relevant to be applied because they are very adaptive in understanding digital technology, supporting the transformation of agriculture from traditional patterns to modern agriculture that is being promoted in Indonesia. Modern farming patterns practiced by millennial farmers can increase production and added value. After about one-year running, the "Millennial Farmers Movement" begins to bring about results in several areas, one of which is Central Java which is able to increase its agricultural production from 9.8 million tons to 9.11 million tons.

In addition to increasing production, modern agricultural patterns practiced by millennial farmers contribute to increasing the value of exports of various agricultural commodities in Central Java to a number of destination countries.The results of the Millennial Farmers Movement are clear evidence that only by applying modern farming patterns, Indonesian farmers are able to realize Indonesia as World Food Barn in 2045, and the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in all fields.

The Millennial Farmers Movement needs support from the center to the regions, especially the villages. Support from the villages can be provided by expanding wide access of land which is one of the biggest problems in agriculture. Village-owned enterprises must be able to become a bridge to attract young people, by opening access to capital and markets.

Directorate General of Law Enforcement, Ministry of Environment and Forestry held Simpatik Operation for ecosystem restoration of Mount Tilu Bandung regency and Papandayan Garut Regency on Monday, November 18, 2019. The operation was held by Directorate General of Law Enforcement in cooperation with Conservation Center and Natural Resources of West Java, Perhutani Forest Prevention and Security of South Bandung, TNI, the Police and the local apparatuses.

Head of sub directorate of Forest prevention and security of Java and Bali region Taqiuddin said that the join team try to implement preservation of forest area of Citarum that has turned the land function into vegetable plantation.

During the time there are various agricultural activities at the natural conservation area, such as planting vegetables. So, the area which was previously as conservation forest now experincing degradation. The illegal activity has impacted to the change of ecosystem and degradation of forest function. During the dry season there happened lack of water and drought, while in rainy season flood and landslide threaten people’s life. Moreover, biodicersity in the area also threaten to extinct. Taqiuddin also stated that natural conservation and Mount Papandayan Natural Park and Mount Tilu Natural park are so far been certain fauna and flora habitates.

Taqiuddin added, by conducting preservation action for the two coservation parks, the areas experiencing regreening naturally. Then the forest will give contribution for water management and flood prevention. During the time, the joint team has successfully saved 7,000 hectares land. Of the total land it has been used as plantation area about 300 hectares at the natural conservation and natural tourism park.

State-owned enterprises play a vital role to support Indonesian economic development. As state-owned companies, they are responsible to help the government in making the people prosperous. They also keep developing from year to year. Data from State-owned Enterprises Ministry showed that there are 143 state-owned companies with total asset around Rp 8 thousand trillion. Their contribution towards State Budget in 2018 was Rp 420 trillion.

Indonesian state-owned companies have excellent products. In aviation, various aircrafts are produced by PT Dirgantara Indonesia, which have been sold abroad. Then, there are also trains made by PT INKA.

In infrastructure and property, Indonesia has PT Adhi Karya, PT Waskita Karya, PT Jasa Marga, and Wijaya Karya that have penetrated some African countries.

These achievements are the reason why the government keeps pushing the state-owned companies to be a great company, not only inside the country but also in global level. To realize such dream, President Joko Widodo appointed two deputy ministers of state-owned enterprises to increase company performance. They are Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, former President Director of PT Bank Mandiri and Budi Gunadi Sadikin, former President Director of PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium.

State-owned Enterprises Ministry is the only ministry in Joko Widodo’s administration that has two deputy ministers. This certainly aims to make Indonesian state-owned enterprises great with global reputation. President Joko Widodo asked the minister and deputy ministers to cooperate in achieving that global reputation.

To realize the vision and mission of President Joko Widodo, Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir takes a brave step by refreshing the leaders’ organization in his ministry. Seven echelons I have been put into new positions at various state-owned companies.

The brave step of Minister Erick Thohir should be supported and the people are waiting for the result. Hopefully, Minister Thohir will be consistent in taking brave step, apart from political intervention that can disturb performance of the state-owned enterprises.