Japan Donates Rp1 Billion For Cattle Farming In North Sumatra

Serdang Bedagai, N Sumatera, March 11 (Antara) - The Japanese Government, through the "Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security" program, has donated Rp1 billion to develop integrated cattle farming training center in Serdang Bedagai, North Sumatra. Japanese General Consul in Medan, Yuji Hamada, and Chairman of North Sumatera`s Indonesian Rural Skills Development Foundation (BITRA) Wahyudi signed the cooperation agreement in Medan on Tuesday. According to Wahyudi, BITRA will be the Japanese Government`s partner to manage the fund and to supervise the integrated cattle farming training center building project. "This integrated cattle farming training center is expected to intensify rural farmers` skills in raising their cattle, so that the process gets more effective and economically beneficial," Wahyudi explained. In the near future, the training center will also be developed as an organic fertilizer production center and a role model for other similar projects in North Sumatra. Besides this, Wahyudi added that the training center will also promote rehabilitation of the ecological system by implementing organic farming system, which can counter the overdose chemical fertilizers. Since 1988, BITRA has been also cooperating with Japan`s Asian Rural Institute (ARI) and Asian Community Trust (ACT) to develop irrigation systems and farmland rehabilitation. Head of Serdang Bedagai District Soekirman expressed his gratitude on behalf of all the residences to the Japanese Government for the support toward rural development in Serdang Bedagai and hoped that it will be expanded to other sectors.