In accordance with President Jokowi’s vision, BIN prepares young farmers to advance the sustainable agricultural sector through AMANAH
By: Muzakir Hasbi
The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) initiated the Aneuk Muda Aceh Excellent and Great (AMANAH) Program, in accordance with President Jokowi’s direction as a commitment to develop the regional agricultural sector by empowering the younger generation.
Through various activities and training, the program has succeeded in producing young farmers who are ready to advance agriculture in the area nicknamed ?Veranda of Mecca? That. One of the activities that attracted attention was the 2024 Makmur Jamboree which was recently held in Aceh, where hundreds of young farmers assisted by AMANAH participated in the event.
The jamboree held by Pupuk Indonesia was in line with the spirit of the AMANAH program in supporting national food self-sufficiency. Hundreds of young farmers from various regions in Indonesia, including Aceh, West Java and Papua, gathered at the Rindam Iskandar Muda Field, Aceh Besar.
They have the opportunity to exchange information and knowledge related to sustainable agricultural practices in their respective regions, as well as build networks which are expected to strengthen synergies between agricultural actors throughout Indonesia.
Lt. Gen. TNI (Ret.) Dr. Muhammad Munir, Chair of the BIN Strategy Analysis Council (DAS), explained that the AMANAH program has seven leading sectors, one of which is agricultural development.
Dr. Munir emphasized the importance of utilizing Indonesia’s demographic bonus potential to strengthen food security. He also highlighted that AMANAH, together with similar initiatives such as the Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH) in Papua, is able to build an ecosystem of young farmers who are competitive and contribute to food independence.
The AMANAH program is considered successful in empowering Aceh’s young generation through the agricultural and plantation sectors. By involving more than 20,000 members, the program has succeeded in fostering achievement among young people, especially in the agricultural sector.
The head of DAS BIN added that if Aceh and Papua – which he likened to the two wings of Garuda – were strong and superior, then Indonesia could fly higher in achieving prosperity through the agricultural sector.
The 2024 Makmur Jamboree is also a forum for young farmers like Bella Kusuma, one of the participants from Aceh, to develop their potential. Bella revealed that the AMANAH program has succeeded in motivating many young people to enter the world of agriculture, which previously might have been less attractive to the millennial generation.
Bella believes that this program builds the enthusiasm of young farmers to move into a more modern agricultural sector and be able to compete at the international level. With support from AMANAH, Bella is optimistic that the agricultural sector in Aceh can develop rapidly and become one of the backbones of the regional economy.
Apart from that, Rozali, a young farmer assisted by AMANAH from Pidie Jaya, said that Jamboree Makmur provides an opportunity for farmers to exchange knowledge and adapt to the latest agricultural technology.
According to him, this event provides refreshment for young farmers, where they can broaden their knowledge regarding technological innovations that can be applied in their respective regions.
Rozali also assessed that AMANAH had succeeded in providing targeted programs for farmers in Aceh, which ultimately helped improve the quality of agriculture in the region.
The success of the AMANAH program in empowering young farmers is also in line with the Indonesian government’s efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency and the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045.
The Main Director of Pupuk Indonesia, Rahmad Pribadi, emphasized that young farmers play a key role in realizing food security in the future. Rahmad believes that with the enthusiasm and innovation of the younger generation, Indonesia will soon achieve food self-sufficiency and move towards this big vision.
The Makmur Jamboree program also involves Taruna Makmur, a group of students from various Agricultural Development Polytechnics (Polbangtan) under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture.
They provide assistance in cultivation and agronomic services to young farmers participating in the program. This collaboration between students and young farmers creates space for mutual learning and finding solutions to various challenges faced in the agricultural sector.
Since its launch in 2021, the Makmur Program promoted by Pupuk Indonesia has had a significant impact on farmers throughout Indonesia. The program succeeded in reaching more than 130,000 farmers and covered 328,000 hectares of land.
Rice productivity increased by 14 percent, while farmer income increased by 38 percent. This data shows that programs such as AMANAH and Makmur have played an important role in improving the welfare of farmers and strengthening national food security.
Thus, AMANAH, which is one of President Jokowi’s flagship programs in developing young human resources, has succeeded in opening up new opportunities for young farmers in Aceh and various other regions.
The program does not only focus on technical aspects of agricultural cultivation, but also on developing networks and using modern agricultural technology that can support regional economic growth.
Through strong synergy between young farmers, students and other stakeholders, AMANAH is expected to continue to contribute to realizing sustainable agriculture that is globally competitive.
*) Aceh Sharia Economic Researcher – Sustainable Aceh Sharia Economic Forum
