Coconut Fiber Industry Association of Indonesia (AISKI)

TANJUNGPINANG - Coconut Fiber Industry Association of Indonesia (AISKI) in cooperation with the Provincial Government (Provincial) Riau Islands (Riau Islands) agreed on the island of Bintan, Bintan regency as a pilot project for the development of cassava cultivation Formula One (F-1) using coco powder treatment (coco peat).

"For the first stage, the area of ​​land agreed upon 10 acres. If the trial is successful, the province of Riau Islands is backing up 30 acres in Tanjung Batu, Karimun regency, "said the Head of Research and Development AISKI, Ady Pawenari Indra, after a meeting with the Head of the Department of Agriculture, Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry Riau Islands Province, Said Jaafar in Tanjungpinang, Wednesday (23/01/2013).According to Ady, Bintan Island election as a regional pilot project for cassava cultivation F-1 with coco peat treatment can not be separated from the strategic position of Bintan Island which borders with neighboring countries, Singapore and Malaysia.

Moreover, Riau Islands provincial government already has a partnership with Singapore's marketing of agricultural products.Citing statistics Agri - Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), vegetables in the country needs the lion reached 487 336 tonnes per year. While the fruit needs to reach 374 067 tonnes per year."Until now, Riau Islands can only supply organic vegetables to Singapore 2 tons per day. In fact, the need to reach 1,000 tonnes per day, "said Head of the Department of Agriculture, Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry Riau Islands Province, Said Jaafar.Said claimed to have known the use of coco peat to improve land productivity since 2004 in Thailand.

However, in the country, he only knew of AISKI through media publications. "When I went to Thailand, I see garden soil there in black and crumbly. The plants are also quite fertile. After I asked, it turns out that it's black coco peat, "he said.Said both Ady and expressed its readiness to support the government achieve food self-sufficiency program in 2014. Including the government's target of producing cassava as much as 27.6 million tons in an area of ​​1.5 million hectares."In a matter of trial and simulation AISKI, both on land and marginal land fertile and depleted of nutrients, production of cassava using coco peat treatment can be increased to 500-800 tons per hectare. So, to achieve the target of 27.6 million tonnes, AISKI just need an area of ​​55 thousand hectares, "said Ady.Cassava seedlings that will be developed AISKI in Bintan Island DNA was pre-incubated seeds (deoxyribosenucleid acid) cassava and cassava native Taiwanese East Kalimantan.The development will be the intercropping system, which includes a companion crops such as vegetables and other crops.

Opinion: 
I was very happy when I heard this news, for it is not because cassava as one of Indonesian traditional food alone. But because of the use of technology developed by the Indonesian Coconut Fiber Industry Association (AISKI) the father of Indra Pawenari Ady. By adopting the technique of planting land preparation in Thailand can improve productivity especially in the area of ​​food processing areas or land that has less levels of soil fertility. If this continues to be developed, it is not possible government program in 2014 can be done well and satisfactorily. Hopefully all parties can be held accountable to no good as possible on what has been achieved so far.

 Sources:TRIBUNNEWS.COM