PT ANTAM Food Security Program Supports Chili Farmer in Konawe Utara

Ibnu Hajar, a farmer in Mowundo Village, Konawe Utara, has successfully expanded his agricultural operations from a small home garden to a 1,500-square-meter chili plantation. This growth was facilitated by the Food Security Program (Program Mandiri Pangan) provided by PT ANTAM (Persero) Tbk UBPN Konawe Utara.

Through the program's technical assistance and the use of supported cultivation tools, Hajar managed to harvest approximately 110 kilograms of red chili across four harvests. Despite facing challenges such as steep terrain and crop loss due to extreme heat and drought, the program helped him overcome previous difficulties regarding pest management and plant nutrition.

Prior to this expansion, Hajar utilized his home yard to grow various vegetables for family consumption and local sale to neighbors and catering businesses. He currently cultivates Laba F1 curly red chili and large red chili varieties across approximately 1,700 planting holes.