Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara – Presidential Chief of Staff Dr. Moeldoko, on Thursday (2/6), has invited President Joko Widodo to plant and harvest sorghum food crops in Laipori Village, East Sumba regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
Amid the global geopolitical turmoil, Moeldoko has long been voicing his concern on the food crisis. The retired Indonesian military general has initiated the sorghum cultivation program, expecting the traditional crops to be an alternative food to rice, corn and wheat.
“It’s time for Sorghum to be widely cultivated in Indonesia. The plant is obdurate, a drought-tolerant crop. It can survive even in areas with less water resources, constant heat and low rainfall,” said Moeldoko.
Sorghum cultivation program in Kab. East Sumba is primarily being carried out in Laipori Village covering an area of 3,200 hectares. Another 800 hectares of land in Ngohung Village is also being used for the cultivation program.
In the 1970s, sorghum grain was easily found and widely consumed in East Nusa Tenggara. The plant can survive arid and semi arid tropics, turning marginal lands into productive ones.
The former critical lands in East Sumba, for example, is now able to produce 15 tons of sorghum grains and is projected to result in Indonesian Rp 50 million profits.
Showing great adaptation to changing climate conditions, the plant is also rich in carbohydrates. making it a suitable substitute for rice, corn and wheat.
In addition to climate change and geopolitical issues, the wide-ranging health and economic impacts of COVID-19 have put pressure on the country’s food security system. The president has called for actions on the issues of key staples supply, distribution, and price, following the warning of global food shortage made by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“We want to have multiple [food] alternatives to be consumed [in this country]. Food diversification means we should not be dependent on rice, as we have corn, sago, and now we are bringing back our old crop, sorghum,” said President Jokowi.
