Indonesia Should Reduce Its Reliance on Imported Food Products: President

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo has urged all parties in Indonesia to make a collective effort to reduce the country's dependence on imported food products and start strengthening the nation's food security.

"We are an agrarian country but we import rice, corn, soybean, wheat, salt, vegetables, and fruits. Which food products do we not import? I am sad (to see this reality)," he said here Tuesday.

Indonesia should be able to be self-sufficient in any food stocks, including rice, within three or four years from now, the head of state told the participants of the National Resilience Institute's upgrading program here.

"With God's willing (Insya Allah), I do believe we can realize it," he said adding that the habit of importing food products has made the nation lazy to reach the food security.  

According to President Joko Widodo, 52 percent of the country's irrigation system in Indonesia has been damaged and no new irrigation facilities have been built over the past 15 years.

"Eleven reservoirs will be built next year. Don't talk about agriculture. Where is the water from? And how do we deal with fertilizer and seeds?" he said.

Besides increasing the volume of products, it was also important for Indonesia to prepare a credible marketing system for its food products, he said.  (WDY)