Universitas Gadjah Mada and Forestry state corporation (Perum Perhutani) of Ngawi in East Java did gogo rice harvesting together in the forest area in East Java on Friday (1/3). The event was the continuation of cooperation between Faculty of Forestry UGM and Perum Perhutani in Food Security and Teak Forest Productivity.
“This is a form of cooperation that we have done repeatedly with Faculty of Forestry UGM to do various researches whether on teak tree or food producing trees,” said Dr. Mustofa Iskandar, Director of the state company of Ngawi.
Mustofa Iskandar hoped that the the most appropriate model for research and harvest can be decided soon to be implemented there to support food security and teak productivity.
Dr. Budiadi, S.Hut., M.Sc from Faculty of Forestry said that since 2011 there have been researches in three areas of KPH in Ngawi, Randublatung Blora and Cepu, Bojonegoro. Faculty of Forestry has intensively been looking to find the best Gogo rice variety. “At that time, for timber productivity, we proposed 4 patterns of planting systems, the planting spacing of 3x3, 6x2, 8x2 and 10x2 meter.”
Budiadi explained there are five varieties on testing. The highest varieties are situpatenggang, in pari, inpago 4, inpago 5 and inpago 6. For local varieties, gogo putugunungkidul variety is tested. “The result was satisfactory, the crop showed the scale of 11-12 tonnes per hectare,” he said.
Of the 20,000 hectares of forests in Ngawi, only 8 hectares are already planted with gogo rice. The total area there is 46,000 hectares.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hargo Utomo, Director of Development and Incubation of UGM, said the major harvesting was the starting point of the food security resulting from the collaboration between Perum Perhutani and society. Food security agenda is a strategic one for the state and public interest.