Indonesia
is threatened
by agricultural lend deficit of 730,000 (0.73 million) hectare by 2015. Total Indonesian
population in 2015 is estimated at 255 million people. With the assumption that
rice consumption per capita at 136.1 kilogram per capita/year, to meet consumption
demand, a size of paddy field of 13.38 million hectare is needed. But, only 13.20
million hectares are available.
The Agriculture Ministry reported that land deficit
is as a result of conversion of agricultural land and increasing food demand.
The Agriculture Ministry sent a proposal to the President requiring issuance of
an instruction for moratorium on conversion of paddy field as an attempt to
prevent conversion of agricultural land.
Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and
Facilities at the Agriculture Ministry, Gatot Irianto, in Jakarta on Tuesday (2/5/2013)
stated that the Agriculture Ministry is preparing a regulation on moratorium
on land conversion for 3 years. In the next 3 years there will he no license
for land conversion, especially the one granted by the regional government. The
draft moratorium regulation will be in the form of a Presidential Instruction.
Land conversion has been a problem to agricultural
sector. There is at least around 100,000 hectare of agricultural land which has
been converted each year. The government already has a Law on Land Protection.
Land conversion is related to regional government’s policy on the grant of Hak
Guna Usaha (Right on Land Cultivation).
Based on records of the Agriculture Ministry, rate
of paddy field loss in Indonesia reaches
110,000 hectare a year. On the other hand, capacity to create of new lend only reaches 45,000 hectare.
The capacity to create new paddy field in 2012 reaches 100,000 hectare, and 92% or 92,000 hectare has been realized. While, program of creation of new paddy field this year is only at 65,000 hectare with total budget at around Rp 650 billion.
110,000 hectare a year. On the other hand, capacity to create of new lend only reaches 45,000 hectare.
The capacity to create new paddy field in 2012 reaches 100,000 hectare, and 92% or 92,000 hectare has been realized. While, program of creation of new paddy field this year is only at 65,000 hectare with total budget at around Rp 650 billion.
Decline in target of creation of new paddy field
next year is due to limited budget. Cost of creation of new paddy field is Rp.
10 million per hectare. Creation of new paddy field will use state-owned land or
farmers-owned land.
Gatot believed that rice production rata is lower
than rapid population growth. While, number of agricultural land is decreasing
due to lend conversion. So, the government must immediately implement
agricultural land moratorium to minimize rate of conversion of productive paddy
fields to residential and industrial areas. He said that the biggest threat to
food security besides climate change is unavailability of productive
agricultural land.
The government must apply spatial planning and
regional planning explicitly accompanied with agricultural lend moratorium. The
Agriculture Ministry admitted that its plan on prohibiting Conversion of paddy
field is hampered by problem of fragmented land ownership. In addition to that,
the Agriculture Ministry also complained that the regional government easily
granted permit for conversion of paddy filed to housing or industrial estate.
While, creation of new paddy field requires a big amount of cost.
The Ministry of Agriculture encouraged the regional
government, the regent and mayor to maintain agricultural land in their
respective regions. Agrarian reform should be empowered so that farmers could
obtain land of 2 hectare at the minimum. Another problem is that many farmers
died so their land is passed on their children.
Business News - February 08,2013
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