Jakarta — The government continues to strengthen national food security through the construction and rehabilitation of irrigation networks in various regions. This effort is being undertaken to ensure year-round water availability for agricultural land, while simultaneously increasing agricultural sector productivity amidst the challenges of climate change and increasing public food demand.
Strengthening irrigation infrastructure includes repairing primary, secondary, and tertiary canals, normalizing networks experiencing sedimentation, and building supporting facilities for water resource management. These steps are expected to increase the efficiency of water distribution so that farmers can optimize the planting season and reduce the risk of crop failure.
In line with these efforts, the government, through the Ministry of Public Works (PU), continues to strengthen the development of water resource infrastructure to support equitable development and increase agricultural productivity in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. One of these measures is the construction of the Groundwater Irrigation Network (JIAT) as a solution for providing water for rain-fed agricultural land.
“Through this JIAT, we want to ensure water availability to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen food security,” said Minister of Public Works, Dody Hanggodo.
Improvements to irrigation networks in several food production centers have had a positive impact on increasing planted area and cropping index. More secure water availability allows farmers to increase planting frequency, thus contributing to increased production of strategic commodities such as rice, corn, and horticultural crops.
The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has also provided support for irrigation strengthening, allocating a budget of over IDR 3 trillion to strengthen the national irrigation system. This measure is part of efforts to maintain food production in anticipation of the 2026 dry season.
Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that the allocation is focused on improving and expanding irrigation infrastructure in various production centers.
“We are pushing for an irrigation budget of over IDR 3 trillion, out of the total IDR 12 trillion we have distributed,” Amran said.
In addition to increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening the irrigation network also plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the national food supply. The government continues to encourage synergy between ministries, local governments, and farmer groups to ensure the infrastructure is optimally and sustainably functioning.