TEMPO.CO, Samarinda - The National Armed Force (TNI) is assisting the Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) district government in efforts to develop the district as the food barn of the new capital city Nusantara (IKN).

Nusantara is currently being developed in parts of the districts of Kukar and North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan province.

"We provide support by helping residents open rice fields and drilling wells to ensure sufficient water supply for farmers," an officer at the 0906/Kukar Military District Command, Captain Waskito, informed in a statement received from the 091/ASN Military Resort Command in Samarinda on Tuesday.

He highlighted that Kukar district is a major food-producing region in East Kalimantan, considering that it accounted for 66,952 tons of the total 132,022 tons of rice produced in the province last year.

Waskito further said that, acknowledging this contribution, the local government is aiming to make Kukar the food barn of Indonesia's future capital. The Indonesian Army is ready to help achieve the vision, he added.

Currently, he said, soldiers are focusing on drilling wells to irrigate rice fields in Manunggal Jaya village, Sebulu sub-district, under the TNI Karya Bakti Program.

"The TNI Karya Bakti Program aims to help farmers meet their needs for water required for irrigating rice fields in Manunggal Java village, given that agricultural lands in the village have been relying solely on rainfall for water supply," he added.

He further said that his office has successfully drilled a well dedicated to farmers in Sumber Sari village, Loa Kulu sub-district.

According to him, the Chief of Army Staff, General Maruli Simanjuntak, visited the village on February 20, 2024, to inaugurate the well.

"The wells are expected to boost the annual production rate of the farmers by providing them water, even in dry seasons. Hopefully, our efforts will drive Kukar to become the food barn of IKN," he added.

ANTARA

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