Biotech Updates

Farmers Demand Application of Biotechnology in Indonesia

September 11, 2013

The farmer group Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan (KTNA) demands the application of biotechnology in Indonesia to boost agricultural productivity, following the impact of unpredictable climate on crop yields. KTNA head Winarno Tohir said that Indonesia's agriculture sector is facing unpredictable weather pattern causing droughts, floods and pest infestation, which affect crop productivity.

Tohir said "The use of biotechnology is necessary to overcome these agriculture problems, and it is one of the innovations that is able to overcome climate change effects," during a seminar on Agriculture Biotechnology and its Challenge on Crops Productivity Enhancement held in the Agriculture Ministry.

Although there are inventions and researches from universities and government institutions that can be applied in the agriculture sector, government regulation is still needed to pass the permit for the application of such technology. "Farmers are really expecting that biotechnology can be applied in Indonesia," Tohir said. He added that biotechnology can be applied to produce plants resistant to drought, flood and pests.

The news article is available at: http://www.eco-business.com/news/indonesian-farmers-demand-application-biotechnology/.