Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The Wirabuana Military Command, which oversees the Gorontalo, Central, North, South, West and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, spends part of its time on strengthening food security, the environment and social empowerment.
"We still conduct routine drills, and at the same time get involved in other activities. The current Indonesian Military (TNI) Integrated Village Development (TMMD) program is similar to the previous ABRI (Indonesian Armed Forces) Enter the Village program," Wirabuana Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Muhamad Nizam told The Jakarta Post in the South Sulawesi capital Makassar recently.
Soldiers under the military command, numbering around 26,000, must carry out routine training in order to improve their capacity in defending the country, including combat exercises, so they would be prepared in the event of emergency from an enemy attack.
The Wirabuana Military Command periodically posts its troops at border areas to protect and safeguard the outer islands located within Sulawesi's territorial jurisdiction, where the islands border with neighboring countries.
Although separated, the TNI remains to back up the police in terms of security, but only during riots, such as the Poso riot. "We back up the police when there's a riot, especially when it escalates, but not on a daily basis. When the situation subsides, we will pull back our troops," he explained.
During peacetime the TNI, especially the Wirabuana Military Command, spends time strengthening food security, as instructed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. According to Nizam, his command has been asked to assist the community, especially farmers, to boost their crops, such as rice and corn.
Especially in South Sulawesi, the Wirabuana Military Command has signed a memorandum of understanding with the provincial administration, requiring every district's military command (Kodim) to cultivate 100 hectares of rice fields. The province is home to 14 Kodim, meaning that each planting season, the TNI cultivates 1,400 hectares of rice fields.
Apart from rice, they also grow various side crops. Organic vegetables grown by soldiers at the Wirabuana Military Command have been marketed in a number of supermarkets in Makassar.
The TNI does not only grow rice but also develops new variety seedlings, such as the Legowo rice variety, in a nursery located on a 3-hectare plot in Bantaeng regency. Each hectare of rice field is able to produce an average of 11 tons of rice each harvest.
Rice and corn are the prime commodities in South Sulawesi. The provincial administration targets a surplus of 2 million tons of rice and 1.5 million tons of corn annually. The TNI's involvement would help the administration reach the target.
Soldiers under the Wirabuana Military Command are also active in cultivating catfish by utilizing idle land in their respective commands. Besides for their own consumption, they also sell their harvest.
"We market the fish not only to Makassar, but to several other provinces, such as Tana Toraja. A soldier has even bought a public minivan from the proceeds of sales," said Nizam.
He added that his command was currently preparing to cultivate freshwater fish that would be carried out in the Jeneberang River in Gowa regency, by using permanent cages.
Soldiers at the Wirabuana Military Command gained their farming and fishery skills from a training program in cooperation with Makassar's Hasanuddin University, including adopting floating fish cage technology from Japan. They also learned to make compost.
The soldiers are also involved in environmental cleaning, reforestation and help residents in the event of natural disasters. They are routinely deployed to clean waterways and rivers in Makassar and plant tree seedlings for reforestation.
"TNI's main duty is to defend the country, especially from enemy attack. However, TNI soldiers must socialize with the people they protect by carrying out activities together with the community," Nizam added.