He urged the regional administration to accelerate the creation of new rice fields, noting that the province's sustainable agricultural land (LP2B) remains below the minimum threshold.
"Productive land that has been converted will be closed off, and we will find solutions, including locating new land," Wahid said.
He said he had submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Agriculture to establish new rice fields to compensate for areas that have already been converted, ensuring investment certainty in Bali.
Wahid explained that LP2B — an absolute non-convertible rice field —must account for at least 87 percent of total rice field area under Presidential Regulation No. 12/2025. Bali currently stands at only 62 percent.
He added that the Sustainable Food Agriculture Area (KP2B) should ideally reach 90 percent, while Bali remains at 83 percent.
The shortfall means the Bali government must allocate about 6,000 hectares: 4,000 hectares to replace converted rice fields and 2,000 hectares to reach the minimum quota, he said.
Wahid warned that without establishing new rice fields, Bali would breach LP2B requirements. He noted that unauthorized conversion of designated sustainable food production land carries penalties of up to five years in prison under Law No. 41/2009.
He said creating new rice fields in the tourism-focused province would allow past land conversions to be regularized and bolster food security by increasing cultivated areas.
Wahid also highlighted the need to balance land use for agriculture, tourism, and housing. For housing, he encouraged residents to build on unproductive land and adopt vertical housing due to limited land availability.
He stressed that land allocation is essential for priority programs, including food self-sufficiency and subsidized housing, both of which require significant land resources.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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