JAKARTA (Xinhua): Indonesia has allocated 9.9 trillion rupiahs (US$604 million) to strengthen the downstreaming of key plantation commodities and improve farmer welfare, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has announced.
The budget will support replanting and expansion of coconut, cocoa, cashew, coffee, pepper, and nutmeg across 800,000 hectares nationwide, focusing on regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions, the minister told a press conference in Jakarta.
The programme is expected to generate 1.6 million jobs within two years while raising the added value of Indonesia’s agricultural products in domestic and global markets, he said.
Amran added that the downstreaming initiative forms part of government efforts to ensure food security, expand employment opportunities and promote sustainable plantation development. – Xinhua