Mentan prepares 3-stage farm intervention for Alor
The plan pairs rice supply protection with seed and farm equipment aid, then expansion of cacao, cashew and coconut.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman is preparing a three-stage farm intervention in Alor regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur, to reduce poverty. During a working visit to Alor, Amran combined short- and long-term steps: keeping rice supplies affordable, preparing rice and corn seeds along with farm machinery and pumps, and developing plantation commodities such as cacao, cashew and coconut as sources of sustainable income. The visit came after Amran heard a plea from an Alor student, Adriano Padama, during a public lecture at Universitas Diponegoro in Semarang. He said he deliberately canceled a leadership meeting agenda in Jakarta to follow up on Alor residents' needs in the field.