During an inspection of the Sasak irrigation area in Bogor District, West Java, on Friday (December 27), he highlighted that such data is particularly required from regions that have the potential to become food barns.
In his ministry's statement cited here on Saturday, Sugiarto underlined that President Prabowo Subianto's administration is determined to help the country once again attain food self-sufficiency by 2027.
To that end, he affirmed that the Coordinating Ministry for Food has been striving to drive the development and revitalization of irrigation areas in promising regions across Indonesia.
"Data shows that Indonesia is home to nearly three million hectares of irrigation area," he stated while noting that the optimization of such area might lead to the expansion of agricultural lands.
He then highlighted that most of the irrigation canals in the Sasak irrigation area are used to cultivate consumption and decorative fish, while some other canals are oriented toward rice farming.
The deputy minister, however, assessed that some of the canals are in need of rehabilitation measures.
On that note, he reiterated the need for regional leaders to immediately move to submit relevant data to propose the rehabilitation of such canals.
"We truly hope that leaders of villages and sub-districts in this district will send us comprehensive data so that we can provide assistance in rehabilitating the irrigation system next year," he stated.
The Sasak irrigation area sits in the Ciseeng sub-district of Bogor and channels water to around 1,500 hectares of land dominated by fish farmers.
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Translator: Narda M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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