Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan earlier said the government had agreed to simplify the distribution of subsidized fertilizers under a single portal within the Agriculture Ministry. Following a food affairs coordination meeting at the Ministry of Forestry on December 12, Zulkifli explained that the Ministry of Agriculture would directly request PT Pupuk Indonesia Holding Company (PIHC) to distribute fertilizer to gapoktan (groups farmers at the village level), without involving governors and regents. or mayors.

FGD participants welcomed this simplified plan, particularly the elimination of distribution zoning regulations and fertilizer stockpile provisions that often result in high costs for PIHC. However, they also stressed the need to ensure that the new regulations do not create additional problems and truly speed up the distribution of fertilizers according to the seven “right” precision principles: right time, right quantity, right type, right place, right quality. , good price and good recipient.

Yadi Sofyan, chairman of the Andalan Fishermen and Farmers Community (KTNA), which participated in the FGD, said the current practice of subsidized fertilizer distribution has imposed unnecessary demands on farmers, such as the obligation to present an identity card (KTP) when repurchasing fertilizer, have their identity document photographed and create an electronic signature on a smartphone.

“The project to reduce the bureaucratic chain of distribution of subsidized fertilizers is excellent news for farmers, as it facilitates access to subsidized fertilizers. On this occasion, we at KTNA, representing farmers, express our gratitude for this initiative,” Yadi said during the FGD.

Another FGD participant and legislator from Commission IV of the House of Representatives on Agriculture, Hanan Abdul Rozak, acknowledged that in the current system of distributing subsidized fertilizers, irregularities still occur, especially at the level of distributors and retailers.

Hanan proposed strengthening Gapoktan’s capacity so that it can effectively serve as a fertilizer retailer. Based on his experience as regent in Tulang Bawang and Tulang Bawang Barat, Lampung, South Sumatra, Hanan noted that gapoktan could be empowered to become commercial entities.

“When I was regent in Tulang Bawang, I encouraged the gapoktan to transform into commercial entities to handle various tasks in collaboration with the local government. Many of them eventually made this transformation. However, they need guidance and empowerment to make this transformation from just a group of farmers to becoming a commercial entity,” explained Hanan.

KTNA President Yadi Sofyan agreed with Hanan on the need to hold Gapoktan accountable, as most of them face limited capital. This could pose problems if they are required to provide initial capital to purchase subsidized fertilizers from PIHC for the farmer groups under their coordination. Beyond capital, Gapoktan also faces challenges in managing organizational administration and lacks access to modern technology. Capacity building efforts are therefore required before they can be designated as retailers of subsidized fertilizers.

Additionally, Riyadi Suparno of Tenggara Strategics raised the question of who would be responsible for ensuring that subsidized fertilizers reach farmers as the intended recipients under the new system. Riyadi suggested that PIHC’s liability should only extend to the last point where it hands over fertilizer, that is, to farmer groups or retailers. A village level supervision mechanism should be established to oversee the distribution of fertilizers from gapoktan and retailers to farmers. PIHC could assist in supervision by providing necessary technology, such as biometric technology, to facilitate monitoring.

Riyadi also proposed that the government move from the problematic database of the final plan of the Electronic System of Farmers Groups (e-RDKK) to a geospatial system as the basis for determining the volume of subsidized fertilizers for the entire country and their distribution to farmers. as the correct recipients.

As a next step, FGD participants agreed on the importance of ensuring that the implementation of the policy to simplify the distribution of subsidized fertilizers not only accelerates the process, but also ensures sustainability and efficiency in a way that is beneficial to farmers. Strengthening distribution infrastructure, from upstream fertilizer producers under the PIHC to gapoktan or retailers, will be key to achieving this objective.

In this regard, stakeholders including the government, PIHC and gapoktan need to collaborate to establish a clear mechanism, improve access to technology and provide adequate support, especially to gapoktan. This must be done to ensure that the distribution of subsidized fertilizers goes smoothly and effectively targets the intended beneficiaries, thereby improving the welfare of farmers across Indonesia.

The panel also brought together government officials, including Bona Kusuma, Deputy Assistant for Agricultural Production Facilities and Infrastructure Management at the Coordinating Ministry of Food; Endro Gunawan, researcher at the Planning Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture; and Panji Winanteya Ruky, Director of Business Transformation at PT Pupuk Indonesia.