Ministry of Agriculture Collaborates with Bogor City Government to Encourage Downstreaming Through SKENA – 2024-04-21 18:13:07

Director General of Plantations Andi Nur Alam Syah (left) and Mayor of Bogor Bima Arya. (DOK Ministry of Agriculture)

FOR the sake of creating a more competitive plantation business ecosystem, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate General of Plantations, together with the Bogor City Government, is holding the National Plantation Celebration (SKENA) event, which will take place from April 19 to April 21 2024, in Bogor.

Director General of Plantations Andi Nur Alam Syah appreciated the cooperation and collaboration of the Bogor city government who have together made the SKENA activities a success.

“Downstream plantations have an important role and contribution to the Indonesian economy, especially coffee, tea, cocoa, rubber, coconut and oil palm plants. Because of this, the community is expected to take part in supporting the development of downstream plantations in Indonesia,” said Andi Nur.

According to Andi Nur, this activity is to better introduce the performance of downstream plantation commodities with high added value, because world market demands require quality and standard products.

“Of course, the strategy we are pursuing through downstreaming is the process of processing raw materials into value-added derivative products, as directed by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, not only exporting raw materials, but also trading with the concept of value-added products, downstreaming will have a significant impact “in increasing farmer income because it is the key to farmer welfare,” explained Andi Nur.

Andi Nur further said, it is time for downstreaming to be increased to the level of commercialization, for the sake of future plantation development.

Also read: Harmonization of Plantations to Strengthen Plantation Downstream

“This scene is a warm-up event for the Bunex event planned for around September 2024. This is to improve and encourage our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to level up, and to support plantation commodities and the added value of plantations so that they can compete and survive with “global market demands are increasingly stringent,” said Andi Nur.

Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya, said that data from the last two years has seen the number of MSMEs in the city of Bogor increase by around 300 percent and increase the Regional Original Income (PAD) of Bogor City. “In 2021, the number of MSMEs in the city of Bogor was recorded at around 68 thousand, while in 2023 the number will increase to 78 thousand MSMEs,” added Bima.

Bima said that his party is ready to be part of strengthening downstream plantations, especially in the city of Bogor. “The city of Bogor is certainly ready to strengthen plantation downstreaming, not only focusing on Bogor, but also expanding to other parts of Bandung, West Java, in order to advance plantations,” said Bima.

Also read: Palm Oil Industry Downstream Model Encourages Exports of Value-Added Products

Andi Nur added that the ranks of the Directorate General of Plantations always continue to support the development of plantation commodities for the welfare of farmers through increasing production, productivity and commodity downstreaming. “We believe that all stakeholders related to plantations, SKPD heads, business actors/exporters/entrepreneur associations also fully support what the Ministry of Agriculture is doing, and we hope that this will not dampen our enthusiasm to continue making strategic efforts to accelerate the implementation of plantation commodity development. “towards the downstreaming of Indonesia Emas 2045,” said Andi Nur.

SKENA activities are carried out in Sempur Field and Expression Park with a number of exciting activities including exhibitions of agricultural commodity MSME products, barista competitions, market bazaars for cheap cooking oil, granulated sugar, other agricultural products, talk shows, workshops/sharing sessions, export launches, business matching, association launches planters, entertainment by bands and singers, distribution of coconut and coffee seeds and other interesting activities.

Andi Nur hopes that the people of Bogor City and surrounding areas can contribute to enlivening, enlivening, participating and supporting the implementation of this activity. “We also hope that this first SKENA activity will be held once more in the following years and will be a milestone in the downstream activities of plantation commodities in West Java province, especially Bogor City,” concluded Andi Nur.

For your information, on this occasion the Director General of Plantations also symbolically handed over the keys to the cafe container to the Mayor of Bogor. (Z-6)