The New Zealand government has contributed NZ$4.2m towards the East Indonesia Innovative Farm Systems & Capability in Agribusiness Activity.
The programme began six months ago and is a collaborative efforts between New Zealand’s Massey University and Indonesia’s University of Mataram to use New Zealand’s agricultural expertise combined with new technology, to improve farming systems in Indonesia.
The four-year IFSCA project will include improving infrastructure, productivity and creating new business, according to Massey University. Also on the cards is a viability study into establishing a packhouse to provide high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables to tourist destination Lombok.
“The partnership is focused on building ongoing capability and strengthening educational partnerships that will serve all parties in the long-term,” said Massey University associate professor Chris Anderson. “We take knowledge of environmental science, farming and business to the farmers on the ground, but also to the educators at Mataram, so that the education can continue on the ground and in the classroom.
“New Zealanders are fortunate to have generations of accumulated knowledge around best practice farming, and sharing that knowledge with other countries can only be good for the prosperity of both.”
