Chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP), Moeldoko, on Friday underlined the possibility of El Nino's return in 2023, which could trigger fires and crop failures.

"The risks can lead to fires and crop failures," he said while attending a cheap food bazaar at Pendopo Kepatihan in Ngawi, East Java.

For this reason, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has emphasized that Indonesian farmers need to plant crops that can strengthen national food security, he added.

Moeldoko also expressed support for efforts to popularize the consumption of sorghum as it can grow well in dry soil. That way, if the El Nino phenomenon occurs in 2023, sorghum can become an alternative source of food for Indonesians.

"I pioneered planting sorghum in Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara. Sorghum is a crop that can be planted massively on marginal or dry soils. We have to look for this kind of alternative," he said.

He also took note of the threat of a food crisis, which will remain a global challenge in 2023.

Currently, he said, many countries have implemented restrictions on food exports that could have an impact on national food security.

"In that condition, we have the money, but we cannot buy food because we cannot import it," he explained.

He said that Indonesia's food security is still quite good due to the La Nina atmospheric phenomenon that triggers wet and rainy weather and benefits the agricultural sector.

Moreover, the government is seeking to promote food security through various strategies and policies.

In terms of financing, the government has provided smallholder business credit (KUR), which can be accessed by agricultural sector players at an interest rate of only three percent until the end of 2022, he informed.

The government has also increased the credit ceiling to Rp373.17 trillion (US$23.8 billion).

Source - https://en.antaranews.com