"As long as the rice fields are not affected, we will definitely fix the irrigation first," Hanggodo said while visiting Agam District on Wednesday.
He made the statement while inspecting the progress of several infrastructure projects damaged by disasters that occurred in late November 2025, accompanied by the Governor of West Sumatra and other officials.
The minister explained that prioritizing irrigation repairs for unaffected rice fields is intended to ensure domestic food supplies remain secure while the country continues to recover from the disaster’s impact.
He added that the Public Works Ministry will also prioritize repairing irrigation for rice fields buried in mud but still suitable for planting using drones. According to the Agriculture Minister, he said, the mud can eventually turn into humus.
Meanwhile, regarding irrigation restoration for rice fields whose planting viability remains uncertain, Hanggodo said the ministry is awaiting further direction from the Agriculture Minister, citing concerns that such repairs may not directly benefit the community.
“Even if the irrigation is repaired, it may turn out that the rice fields cannot be planted or will have to be relocated,” he said.
Hanggodo noted that the ministry had previously repaired several irrigation systems for disaster-affected rice fields in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces, but the work was halted due to uncertainty over whether the fields could still be cultivated.
Currently, the ministry is accelerating irrigation repairs for rice fields where planting has already begun, with the aim of completing the work in time for the harvest season.
“Basically, the Agriculture Minister oversees the planting season, and we will directly handle the irrigation,” he added.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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