Indonesian National Police launch national garlic planting and harvest initiative in West Nusa Tenggara

The Indonesian National Police (Polri) spearheaded a significant national garlic planting and harvest event in Sembalun, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday. The initiative, aimed at bolstering national food security, saw a large-scale garlic harvest from 105 hectares, with an estimated yield of 1,050 tons.

Alongside the harvest, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a 250-square-meter food security warehouse capable of storing 300 tons of garlic. This facility is intended to enhance post-harvest management and preserve the quality of produce before distribution. The event was attended by high-ranking officials, including National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Chairman of Commission IV of the DPR RI Titiek Soeharto, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, and Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman.

This program, a collaboration between various ministries, regional governments, and strategic partners, has identified 2,593.1 hectares across 17 Polda for garlic cultivation, with 927.6 hectares already planted, projecting a production of 9,276 tons. The initiative empowers 117 farmer groups, involving 2,257 farmers. Additionally, 279.5 hectares are slated for planting in 14 Polda, with an anticipated yield of 2,795 tons by the fourth quarter of 2026. Polri is also providing agricultural machinery, including 81 hand tractors and 5 solar-powered water pumps, complemented by contributions from the Ministry of Agriculture and PT Pupuk Indonesia.

Furthermore, Polri is collaborating with the Pusuk Pujata Farmer Group to develop garlic seeds suitable for lower altitudes (below 1,000 meters above sea level), potentially expanding production centers. Through this comprehensive, end-to-end collaboration, Polri aims to significantly increase domestic garlic production, reduce reliance on imports, enhance farmer welfare, and achieve national garlic self-sufficiency.