The Pangkalpinang Class II Agricultural Quarantine Center (BKP) in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province is strengthening its surveillance of global agricultural product traffic to prevent the entry of various dangerous zoonotic diseases into the region. The Head of the Pangkalpinang Class II BKP, Herwintarti, stated that they are reinforcing the quarantine of animals, plants, and other agricultural products in the era of globalization. This is supported by the new Law No. 21 of 2021 on Animal, Plant, and Fish Quarantine, which is a revision of Law No. 16 of 1996.
Furthermore, the BKP's duties and functions are also strengthened by Government Regulation No. 29 of 2023 regarding government regulations for animal, fish, and plant quarantine. The implementation of these new regulations enhances the BKP's role and function in facing globalization or the 5.0 era with its extraordinary challenges. The increased global trade mobility of people and goods, coupled with the impacts of climate change, particularly the El Niño phenomenon, poses significant challenges to the BKP.
According to Herwintarti, the El Niño climate change phenomenon can trigger various zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. The BKP recognizes the need to strengthen their surveillance strategies and enhance the competencies of their human resources to swiftly detect and respond to various diseases. This strengthening is further supported by internationally standardized laboratories, ensuring that Indonesia, especially the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, remains free from dangerous zoonotic diseases that can harm agricultural development and public health in the region.
