VZCZCXRO8935
RR RUEHJS
DE RUEHJA #1997/01 3410212
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070212Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4007
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1146
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 2598

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001997 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB A/S FERNANDEZ 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS AND EEB/IFD/OMA 
USDA/FAS/OA MICHENER, BREWER 
USDA/FAS/OCRA HALE, HIGGISTON, RADLER 
USDA/FAS/OGA HOUSE, DWYER, ROCKE 
USDA/FAS/OSTA BLUM, MACKE, BERMAN, WETZEL 
USDA/FAS/OCBD SHEIKH, KREAMER, GROVES 
COMMERCE FOR 4430/NADJMI 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ME&A, EGAT 
STATE PASS TO USTR WEISEL, EHLERS 
PARIS PASS TO US MISSION OECD PATRICK O'REILLY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD EAID ID
SUBJECT: Deputy Agriculture Minister Krisnamurthi Supports 
Increased Engagement on Food Security 
 
¶1. Summary.  Ambassador Cameron Hume met with Dr. Bayu 
Krisnamurthi, Deputy Minister of the Indonesian Ministry of 
Agriculture on December 1, 2009 to discuss cooperation on food 
security issues.  Krisnamurthi supports the Secretary's new 
policies on food security, and sees agricultural cooperation 
as a way to strengthen the bilateral relationship, increase 
investment, and promote the use of GMOs.  Krisnamurthi would 
like to set up a joint workshop on agricultural technology and 
meet the head of the U.S. delegation in the upcoming OECD 
meeting in Paris on December 7.  End Summary. 
 
Opportunity for the Bilateral Relationship 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. Dr. Krisnamurthi presented the Ambassador with a copy of an 
article from a major Indonesian newspaper that was a 
translation of Secretary Clinton's speech on Food Security 
presented in September at the U.N. Food Security Event.  Dr. 
Krisnamurthi commented favorably on the contents of the speech, 
in particular the five principles, and expressed support for 
the new approach to address food security on a case by case 
basis, and not take a one-size-fits-all approach. 
 
¶3. In the 1970s and 1980s, as many as 300 Indonesians received 
PhDs from U.S. Land Grant Universities under a USAID program, 
according to Krisnamurthi.  He stressed that this program has 
been critical to Indonesia's food security and overall 
agricultural development over the decades, as the U.S.-trained 
scholars introduced new ideas and increased communication and 
"spoke the same language."  Krisnamurthi maintained that the 
training program was also fundamental for the United States- 
Indonesia bilateral relationship. 
 
Business Can Play a Role 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. The Ministry of Agriculture has identified investment in 
agricultural research as a top priority for President 
Yudhoyono's second term, according to Krisnamurthi.  He also 
stressed the importance of investments in such areas as plant 
genetics, technology, and training of farmers and women.  He 
indicated that the United States and Indonesia can work 
together in this area. 
 
¶5. Dr. Krisnamurthi supports the wider use of technology 
(including GMOs) in Indonesian agriculture. He stated that 
GMOs are "a good tool" to increase productivity in the short- 
to-medium terms, while "GMO-related health impacts are still 
unknown and long-term concerns".  He plans to use his new 
position as the Deputy Minister to ease restrictions on 
biotechnology.  He added that Indonesia cannot simply use the 
same rhetoric regarding biotechnology as it has in the past 30 
years. 
 
¶6. Ambassador Hume noted that fisheries should be an integral 
part of Indonesia's food security as fish products are an 
important element of the diet of the poor, and Krisnamurthi 
agreed. 
 
Going Forward 
------------- 
 
¶7. Dr. Krisnamurthi suggested that the United States and 
Indonesia organize a joint workshop to address agricultural 
technology (including GMO) and investment in the Indonesian 
agricultural sector.  He suggested that the workshop be open 
to public (including the press), private, and NGO stakeholders. 
Krisnamurthi proposed holding the workshop in Jakarta in early 
¶2010.  Ambassador Hume said that Post will get back to him 
with a proposal. 
 
¶8. Krisnamurthi also asked to meet with the chair of the U.S. 
delegation to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development's Forum on Investment, Paris, France, December 7-8, 
¶2009. Dr. Krisnamurthi is the Co-Chair for the session on 
promoting responsible international investment in agriculture 
and would like to meet with the U.S. representative during the 
 
JAKARTA 00001997  002 OF 002 
 
 
forum. 
 
¶9. Ambassador Hume committed to providing Indonesia with 
information on GMO that would support the Deputy Minister's 
initiatives. FAS Jakarta has already received information from 
FAS/W that it will provide to Dr. Krisnamurthi. 
 
HUME