Crops

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India and China models introduced first with plans to expand coverage further in Asia-Pacific and to the Americas

Indonesia to create 80,000 hectares of new rice fields

The new rice fields will be created outside Java. (Image source: Prabowoid/Pixabay)

The Indonesian Agriculture Ministry has expressed its plans to create arpund 80,000 hectares of new rice fields this year as targeted by the government as part of the country’s food security program

The Ministry’s agricultural infrastructure director general Pending Dadih Permana said the new rice fields would be created outside Java, The Jakarta Post reported.

“Many plots of land have not been developed [by the owners]. We will help them convert the land into rice fields. We will prioritise owners who are ready to cultivate their land,” said Pending during a hearing with members of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV overseeing agriculture affairs.

Ground work, including investigations and design surveys, will be carried out in the areas to be used before the rice fields are created. Flattening of land and construction of rice field paths, as well as the development of roads and irrigation infrastructure will also be taken up as part of the initiative.

The ministry has stated that the rice field construction will involve the assistance of the Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel.

Last year, the ministry created 129, 096 hectares of new rice fields in 27 provinces, slightly lower than the target of 132,167 hectares.