Jokowi Calls for Irrigation Overhaul to Raise Food Production
30 October 2014 19:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – In a bid to increase food production,President Joko Widodo has instructed Public Works and Public Housing Minister, Basuki Hadimuljono, to speed up on irrigation development.
According to Basuki, Indonesia's abundant seed, fertilizer, and land resources cannot utilized to its full potential, constrained by water supply-related problems.
"Mr. President asked us to pay full attention on the development of dam and irrigation [system]," the minister said on Thursday, October 29.
Basuki said his ministry has identified 73 locations that could be used to build dams on. Forty-seven of said locations have been surveyed, 16 are already under constructed, and five are in contract negotiation process.
"In 2015 six dams will be constructed while 20 will be built in 2016-2019," Basuki said.
Basuki also said his ministry will revamp a number of damaged irrigation fields in 2015. The Finance Ministry, Basuki said, is currently calculating the cost of repairs.
"With 7.3 million hectares of irrigation fields, we can achieve food security is becomes an achievable goal."
SUNDARI
