Jokowi Supports Farmers Use Organic Fertilizer for Better Ecosystem

VIVA – The Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the First Lady planted rice with farmers in the Food Sovereignty Area of the Indonesian Farmers Union, in Senori Village, Merakukak District, Tuban Regency. He appreciated the farmers who use organic fertilizer to improve the ecosystem.

"The use of organic fertilizers not only can reduce farmers' production costs but can also improve the ecosystem in the land area. I am pleased that here farmers from the Indonesian Farmers Union are using organic fertilizer to cultivate 1,000 hectares of land," President Jokowi said during a working visit to East Java on Thursday.

The Indonesian Farmers Union will no longer depend on the chemical fertilizer industry, depending on the import of raw materials from chemical fertilizers, the President added.

According to the President, the use of organic fertilizers can improve the environment and ecosystem. "Improve the environment, the ecosystem is growing again. Worms are starting to multiply, eels are starting to multiply, frogs are starting to multiply, this is how the ecology will be repaired again," he informed.

President Jokowi also ordered Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo to develop the use of organic fertilizer in other areas, including the provision of cows that can be used to make organic fertilizer.

"It is already done here, but in other areas, it will be the duty of the Ministry of Agriculture to provide it so that it can be used to make organic fertilizer," he said.