President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), on Friday, conducted a first-hand inspection of the installation process of 80 water pumps provided by the government to irrigate agricultural areas in Bantaeng District, South Sulawesi.
"Mr. District Head told me earlier that Bantaeng requires 150 water pumps. So far, the Agriculture Ministry has provided the district with 80 water pumps," he remarked in Layoa Village in a video broadcast by his secretariat in Jakarta.
The president expressed optimism that the installation of water pumps would aid in boosting agricultural productivity in Bantaeng, which he says is blessed with fertile soil though currently faces a shortage of irrigation water.
"Farmers told me that they could only plant once (a year) due to water shortage despite the district's fertile soil. However, the provision of the pumps has allowed farmers to carry out the second planting," he pointed out.
The head of state expressed optimism about the water pumps helping Bantaeng boost its contribution to national rice production in the long term.
Related news: Jokowi inspects water pump program in South Sulawesi's Bone
"These pumps will ramp up our national rice production and help anticipate prolonged drought currently occurring in many countries," he remarked.
Earlier, Jokowi instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute agriculture aid in the form of 70 thousand water pumps to assist Indonesian farmers in mitigating drought projected to hit Indonesia from July to October this year.
The president has affirmed that the ministry would strive to meet the need for water pumps to cover all agricultural regions.
Apart from First Lady Iriana, President Jokowi was also accompanied by Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, Public Works and Public Housing Minister, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, South Sulawesi Acting Governor Zudan Arif Fakhrulloh, and Bantaeng Acting District Head Andi Abubakar.
Related news: Aceh seeks to accelerate water pump program amid looming drought
"Mr. District Head told me earlier that Bantaeng requires 150 water pumps. So far, the Agriculture Ministry has provided the district with 80 water pumps," he remarked in Layoa Village in a video broadcast by his secretariat in Jakarta.
The president expressed optimism that the installation of water pumps would aid in boosting agricultural productivity in Bantaeng, which he says is blessed with fertile soil though currently faces a shortage of irrigation water.
"Farmers told me that they could only plant once (a year) due to water shortage despite the district's fertile soil. However, the provision of the pumps has allowed farmers to carry out the second planting," he pointed out.
The head of state expressed optimism about the water pumps helping Bantaeng boost its contribution to national rice production in the long term.
Related news: Jokowi inspects water pump program in South Sulawesi's Bone
"These pumps will ramp up our national rice production and help anticipate prolonged drought currently occurring in many countries," he remarked.
Earlier, Jokowi instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute agriculture aid in the form of 70 thousand water pumps to assist Indonesian farmers in mitigating drought projected to hit Indonesia from July to October this year.
The president has affirmed that the ministry would strive to meet the need for water pumps to cover all agricultural regions.
Apart from First Lady Iriana, President Jokowi was also accompanied by Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, Public Works and Public Housing Minister, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, South Sulawesi Acting Governor Zudan Arif Fakhrulloh, and Bantaeng Acting District Head Andi Abubakar.
Related news: Aceh seeks to accelerate water pump program amid looming drought
Translator: Benardy F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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