The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries made a breakthrough to introduce agriculture to the wider community, especially urban communities. The breakthrough was by holding the "Sukoharjo Agropolitan Expo 2022" event at the mall complex, namely Sentra Town The Park, Solo Baru. The plan, the expo will be held for 10 days, 14-23 October 2022. The activity itself was opened directly by the Regent of Sukoharjo, Etik Suryani, on Friday (10/14/2022) night. The opening ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Regent, Agus Santosa, and several Forkopimda officials. The Head of the Sukoharjo Agriculture and Fisheries Service, Bagas Windaryatno, said that the expo was attended by 70 participants consisting of 35 culinary stands and 35 MSME stands. According to Bagas, the event is a forum for activities that want to deliver activities, results, processes, and production of all agricultural activities in attractive packaging so that agriculture can coexist with other economic forces in urban areas. "Besides that, it is also a place to introduce agriculture from the Sukoharjo Regency Government to the eyes of the community, especially urban communities," said Bagas. Bagas continued, the concept of the activity itself includes "farmer in town" which features flora and fauna rides such as Sheep Field, Bird Area, goats, fish, and ornamental plants which are packaged into a vehicle for community learning, especially children so that they can learn and know about agriculture, livestock, and fisheries.
In addition, an Agro Expo exhibition was also held which featured 35 expo stands in the form of products, activities, processes, and products from agribusiness in Sukoharjo Regency. Also filled with culinary booths, talk shows, millennial farmers, Agricultural Machinery Equipment exhibitions, entertainment stages, and competitions and contests. Meanwhile, the Regent of Sukoharjo, Etik Suryani, appreciated the activity. According to her, the agricultural sector has proven to be one of the largest contributors to regional income and maintains the balance of development and the regional economy of the Sukoharjo Regency. "Development of food production center areas or known as agropolitan, is an agriculture-based economic development carried out by synergizing various existing potentials, intact and comprehensive, competitive, populist-based, sustainable and decentralized, driven by the community and facilitated by the government," she explained. The Regent also said that the agropolitan area consists of agricultural towns and villages surrounding agricultural production centers, the potential of the agricultural sector in Sukoharjo Regency is very promising seen from the diversity of yields and the high yields of agricultural production. However, in reality, there are still many people at large who do not know and know the wealth of natural resources and agricultural products owned by the Sukoharjo Regency. "Therefore, I really appreciate the organization of this activity, hopefully with this activity, it can encourage economic recovery in Sukoharjo Regency, by bringing back local wisdom as a result of culture and superior products from the agricultural sector," added the Regent.
