The government continues to increase national food production by building dams. The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, even saw firsthand the Sindangheula Dam located in Serang Regency, Banten Province, Friday (17/6/2022).
Jokowi was also accompanied by the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) during the visit.
The Minister of PUPR explained that the presence of dams throughout the country has increased the cropping index, with the national average, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), at 147%.
According to him, with the addition of 61 new dams, the production is estimated to reach 200%.
In addition, the presence of the dam also affects the results of the country’s food production. Basuki said, with a planting index of 147%, the national rice production reached 31 million tons, exceeding the needs of national consumption.
“Even though the consumption is 28 million tons. So it makes sense, sir, why don’t we import [rice] for three years,” he added.
Basuki hopes that the presence of several dams that are still under construction can increase the cropping index so that national rice production can reach 40 million tons by 2045.
“So later in 2045 if it can reach 200% it can produce 40 million tons. The surplus can be up to 10 million [tons],” he said.
For information, the Sindangheula Dam was inaugurated by Jokowi on March 4, 2021. The dam was built with a budget of Rp 451 billion and has a capacity of 9.30 million cubic meters.
The presence of the dam in the Serang Regency can provide irrigation benefits for approximately 1,289 hectares of local rice fields. Jokowi hopes that the presence of the dam can spur agricultural productivity in the surrounding area.
“We hope that this dam will provide great added value for farmers in Banten in ensuring the availability of sufficient water so that they are more productive and can maintain food security,” he explained.
For information, Sindang Heula Dam is a dam located in Serang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. This dam was built on the Cibanten River channel on the border of Sindangheula Village, Pabuaran District, and Sayar Village, Taktakan District. The dam was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on March 4, 2021.
Furthermore, this dam has a capacity of 79.3 million cubic meters and an inundation area of 115 hectares.
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