The Bandung City Government is Ready to Support and Succeed the 2023 Agricultural Census

"Obviously the Bandung City Government welcomes and is ready to support the holding of this census," said the Acting Mayor of Bandung, Ema Sumarna when the Bandung City BPS held the 2023 Agricultural Census Socialization as well as the ST 2023 Kick Off Enumeration, at the GH Universal Hotel, Tuesday 30 May 2023.

He said, during the 2 months of data collection, as many as 400 officers were prepared who would record farmers in the city of Bandung.

"So these 2 full months there have been supervisory officers, as many as 400 officers have gone to the field," he said.

He advised the camat and lurah to coordinate well through the RT and RW so that this data collection was valid.

"I entrusted it to the subdistrict head and village head to fully support this data collection. From these results there will be data. The hope is of course very strategic, especially for the economic face of the city," said Ema.

Ema said that the City of Bandung does not have Natural Resources (SDA), so the strength of the Flower City lies in the service sector.

"Bandung City does not have natural resources, our strength lies in the service sector. Because land is limited, around 16 thousand hectares," he said.

Ema revealed that the city of Bandung has Protected Paddy Fields (LSD). This land cannot be shifted function.

"There is a protected paddy field, this is a record. The existing condition is narrow, around 250 LSD. So it is no longer allowed to shift functions," he said.

In the same place, Chair of the 2023 Agricultural Census Committee, Vira Wahyuningrum said, this census aims to provide agricultural structure data, especially for the smallest administrative units.

"Provides data that can be used as a benchmark for current agricultural statistics. In addition, it also provides a sample frame for surveys related to agriculture," he explained.

ST data for 2023, he continued, is needed to answer the latest strategic issues in the agricultural sector. Such as knowing the potential of millennial farmers to modernizing the adoption of agricultural technology.

"The data collection for ST 2023 includes UTP (Individual Agricultural Business). UPB (Agricultural Enterprise Business with Legal Entity) and UTL (Other Agricultural Business). Examples of UTL are Islamic boarding schools, foundations or schools that carry out agricultural business," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Commission B for the City of Bandung, Nunung Nurasiah said that the data collection was very important to support the economy and food security.

"This data is very important, supporting the performance of the Bandung City Government in agriculture and food security. That is the most basic," he said.

Please note, talking about agriculture is not just rice fields. There are 7 coverages in the 2023 agricultural census.

The scope includes food crops, horticulture, plantations, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry and agricultural services.

This census will produce basic national agricultural data. Data related to smallholders, agricultural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators, small-scale farmers and agricultural statistical geospatial data. (yan)**

Head of the Bandung City Communication and Informatics Agency

Yayan A. Brillian