660 Farmers Attended Farmers Party at the Bogor Agricultural University
Bogor Agricultural University, in cooperation with Kodam (Military Commander) III/ Siliwangi, and West Java Provincial Government, held a big event the Indonesian Young Farmers’ Party (Pestani) in Dramaga Campus, on 6 – 9 April 2011. Participants of the event were young men of productive age (18-45) from West Java and Banten. They were recruited through a selection system by the team of Kodam Siliwangi.
In the Pestani, those young farmers learned the insight, motivation and how to love of the agricultural sector by providing the necessary theoretical and practical foundation / basis for further development and implementation of farmers’ business. Those material were repackaged into thematic workshops with 21 topics, fieldtrip to 7 locations outside the campus IPB, group dynamics and Follow-Up Actions.
"The objectives of the Pestani 2011 were to motivate the youths of West Java and Banten, to love agriculture for their life by exploiting the potentiality of local natural resources optimally, said Rector Agricultural University, Prof. Dr.Ir. Herry Suhardiyanto, M.Sc. in his remarks.
In particular, according to the Rector, the benefits of the Pestani were: to increase the interest of youth and the community in the development of both large-scale and small-scale agribusiness in West Java and Banten; to show the emergence of pioneering for youth in the productive enterprises in agribusiness; to reduce in the unemployement number due to increased interest in independent business that was pioneered by the youths; and the improvement of agribusiness not only West Java but also in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Bayu Khrisnamurti, in his address he cited the First President of Indonesia, Bung Karno statement, who stated that food is a matter of life and death of this nation, and the respond of food problem lies in two things: science, and the youth. "IPB has been symbol of science and the venue for young people to learn knowledge to respond the food challenges in the future," said Bayu.
On the other side, the Commander of Kodam III / Siliwangi, Maj. Gen. Moeldoko, explained that 110 (hundred ten) Pembina Village Officers (Babinsa), were among the participants of the Pestani. They were planned to accompany the youths who will work on the agricultural sector. "They will be with the agricultural extension workers to help young farmers to solve the difficulties in the field," he said
The Pestani was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Bayu Krisnamurthi, he was accompanied by Chairman of the Himpunan Kerukunan Tani Indonesia, Mr. Oesman Sapta Oedang, and delegates of both West Java and Banten Provincial Government. (Wied).
