August 27, 2025 | 10:43 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto is pushing for the development of government technology (GovTech) and gene banks to preserve Indonesia's germplasm resources. The development of gene banks is aimed at modernizing Indonesia's agricultural industry based on research and science.
Chair of the National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said Prabowo welcomes the progress of GovTech, with a pilot project in Banyuwangi slated for September. The project will be launched nationwide in 2026.
"The President is quite pleased that the progress of government technology is going well, and we have already kicked off yesterday, and the President supports all the proposals and explanations given by the team," said Luhut at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.
Through the GovTech system, the distribution of government programs, such as social assistance, will become more accurate. Face recognition technology and biometrics will be used to minimize errors in the data collection of beneficiaries, making for a more appropriate distribution.
Additionally, Luhut reported the progress of genome sequencing to President Prabowo, calling for the development of gene banks to bolster Indonesian agriculture. Prabowo emphasized that the development of gene banks must be carried out fully by "the children of Indonesia."
Meanwhile, the Director of the Indonesian Herbal and Horticultural Science and Technology Park, Sri Fatmawati, said gene banks are important due to Indonesia's high biodiversity. Therefore, Indonesia must preserve and develop genetic resources through research on superior agricultural, herbal, and horticultural seeds.
Fatmawati explained that gene banks are one way to preserve mega-biodiversity, but thus far they have yet to determine which top seed commodities to develop. At the moment, she said, her party is focused on herbal and horticultural crops. "One of the ongoing missions at the moment is the Sumatran aloeswood expedition," she said.
According to Fatmawati, aloeswood is chosen as the starting point due to its good economic value and to protect the existing aloeswood germplasm. "We are still on an expedition, still conducting research. Later, if there are results, of course, we will follow up," she said.
Editor’s Choice: INA Digital, Indonesia's Newly-Launched GovTech
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