(IRRI Director General Matthew Morell, Head of Business Development Oliver Frith, and Senior Scientist Shoba Venkatanagappa pay a courtesy visit to Indonesia Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo in February of this year.)
05 September 2020 Jakarta, Indonesia -- Dr. Ir. Fadjri Jufry, Director General of the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), signed a five-year work plan with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The 2020-2024 work plan aims to increase the sustainability and productivity of rice-based agrifood systems across the country, especially in regions with high paddy production.
Developed by IRRI and the Indonesian national agricultural research and extension system (NARES) partners, the plan builds on previous agricultural initiatives and emphasizes six project areas, including agrifood policy and markets, developing climate-smart and nutritious rice varieties, sustainable agronomy for rice-based production systems, mechanization and post-harvest for rice-based production systems, digital agriculture, and capacity development and training.
“This work plan is a result of IRRI’s strong relationship with Indonesia since 1972, which also helped the country achieve rice self-sufficiency in the late 1980s. Beyond rice self-sufficiency, however, is the need to continue developing the entire rice sector in a holistic and sustainable manner. This means going from the ground up and maximizing available resources, tools, and technologies to ensure that the Indonesian rice sector reaches its full productive potential,” said Yasmi Yurdi, IRRI’s Regional Representative for Southeast Asia.
Most of the projects will focus on four specific ecoregions: degraded lands in Java, swampy lands in Sumatra, swampy lands in Kalimantan, and rainfed rice-based systems in Papua.
“We are grateful for IRRI’s continued support and contribution to the growth of the Indonesian rice sector. This work plan will enable us to further take advantage of IRRI’s expertise in rice science and help us improve the lives of small-scale farmers, who constitute 90% of the total number of rice producers in the country,” said Dr. Jufry.
With an estimated budget of approximately USD 6 million per year over 5 years, the work plan aspires to contribute to Indonesia’s National Medium Term Development Plan (2020-2024), which aims to improve the country’s agricultural productivity by 12%. The work plan also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IRRI’s Strategic Plan (2017-2025) and the CGIAR Research Program on Rice Agri-Food System 2017-2021 (RICE CRP).
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world's premier research organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science, improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers, and protecting rice-growing environments for future generations.