Jakarta, Sept. 22 -- Indonesia's Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said that industrializing agriculture and farming is a key strategy to boost added value and competitiveness, helping the country move beyond the middle-income trap.

He delivered the remarks during a coordination meeting on the downstreaming of priority farm commodities on Monday.

He explained that the solution does not lie solely in manufacturing but also in the industrialization of agriculture and farming, which can increase the value of food products.

Citing New Zealand as an example, Karnavian underlined how the country has improved the welfare of its people through agriculture despite lacking major manufacturing industries such as automobiles, electronics, or ot...