BANJARMASIN (13/7) – Kiosk digitization through the iPubers application or subsidized fertilizer integration is expected to facilitate the administration process for kiosk owners. The government has designated South Kalimantan (Kalsel), Bangka Belitung (Babel), Riau, Bali and Aceh to be pilot areas implementing the iPubers application in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero).

Pupuk Indonesia Business Transformation Director, Panji Winanteya Ruky explained that the iPubers application drastically changed the kiosk administration process from previously filling out paper forms during the redemption process, now administration is directly recorded in the application.

"So iPubers collaborates with the Ministry of Agriculture and Pupuk Indonesia, we digitize the kiosk so that every transaction at the kiosk is recorded and recorded digitally, we delete everything that was previously manual," said Panji in a Public Discussion event with the theme "iPubers Application: Transformation Subsidized Fertilizer Policy” which took place at Lambung Mangkurat University,

With the iPubers application, every subsidized fertilizer redemption transaction at the kiosk is recorded in real time. This application can also improve transparency and targeting accuracy of subsidized fertilizer recipients. "This application can ensure an increase in public services, both from kiosks and the public can easily make redemptions by simply bringing their KTP," he added.

The Director of Fertilizers and Pesticides at the Ministry of Agriculture, Tommy Nugraha said the iPubers application is the Government's effort to improve the governance of subsidized fertilizer policies. In particular, said Tommy, with digitalization we can ensure target accuracy in the fertilizer redemption process at kiosks and improve reporting, billing and transaction traceability.

Tommy said that data accuracy is the main key to the success of the subsidized fertilizer policy. The Ministry of Agriculture itself has now re-validated data on prospective subsidized fertilizer recipients together with the Dukcapil Ministry of Home Affairs so that it is hoped that there will be no more duplicate data on subsidized fertilizer recipients.

"Upon the direction of the Ombudsman, we with PIHC and the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy have succeeded in integrating T-pubers with Rekan to become iPubers, this is one of the extraordinary steps and has finally come true, and this is being tested, including in South Kalimantan. Hopefully iPubers can improve the management of subsidized fertilizers. For example, how can managing kiosks jointly fulfill the conditions for subsidized fertilizer redemption, what are the conditions for farmers, and we hope that the service can socialize it to farmers," said Tommy.

On the same occasion, Assistant Deputy for Infrastructure and Food Facilities and Agribusiness of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Ismarini appreciated the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of BUMN through Pupuk Indonesia for implementing the iPubers application at subsidized fertilizer kiosks.

"We need a system, since 2022 the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy has been coordinating regarding digitalization of agriculture. At the kiosk level, they eventually become iPubers. This is a digitalization system for distribution and redemption of subsidized fertilizers," said Ismarini.