Menko Manves advise BBP Mektan to collaborate with Pindad to develop Alsintan

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment of the Republic of Indonesia (Menko Manves), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan advised Pindad to collaborate with the Center for Agricultural Mechanization Development (BBP Mektan) to develop Agricultural Machine Tools (Alsintan) for cassava planting and paddy planting robots. This was conveyed by Luhut who was also accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Syahril Yasin Limpo and the Head of BPPT Hammam Riza when visiting BBP Mektan, Serpong on January 27, 2021. The visit to BBP Mektan is an effort to ensure the readiness of engineering and manufacturing of national machinery to support the food estate program.

In his remarks, Luhut conveyed that there were 3 main points in the development of the agricultural sector which are seeds, fertilizers and agricultural machinery (alsintan). Luhut said that in order for food estate in Indonesia to run, the government in this case the Ministry of Agriculture, should be able to develop integrated agricultural technology from the problems of seeds, fertilizers and alsintan.

"Research and Development Ministry of Agriculture must collaborate, because if they didn’t collaborate, the results will not be optimal. Food estate development has used a lot of domestic production, one of which is PT Pindad. Pindad must be able to work on the alsintan solution and work on it together." Luhut explained.

Luhut said that he would communicate with the President Director of Pindad to discuss the collaboration plan further. Luhut supports the collaboration built by BBP Mektan with BPPT in the development of research and engineering of agricultural equipment and machinery with various manufacturers, including Pindad.

Luhut said that the food estate project that is currently being worked on by the government is a golden opportunity for Indonesia to realize agricultural modernization. "In accordance with President Joko Widodo's direction, in the future our agriculture must be integrated. Food estate is our golden opportunity to be able to start building advanced and modern agriculture, "said Luhut.

The need for food estate is a challenge for the government. It is hoped that with advanced technologies, agriculture can become one of the spearheads to improve people's welfare. In the industrial business sector, the production line of the Industrial Equipment & Services Division of Pindad has produced various agricultural machinery such as Tractors, Planting Rota, combine harvester and Paddy Dryer which are ready to support the national agricultural program.