By: Safrudin Mu’is *)
The construction of dam infrastructure is one of the main agendas in ensuring national food security. The government, through its various strategic projects, has shown its full commitment to realizing food self-sufficiency. The existence of dams not only guarantees the availability of water for the agricultural sector, but also supports the renewable energy ecosystem and improves the welfare of the surrounding community. With more and more dams ready to operate, concrete steps towards food independence are increasingly evident.
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PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk, as one of the state-owned construction companies, has completed the construction of two strategic dams, namely the Rukoh Dam in Aceh and the Jlantah Dam in Central Java. Both dams will soon be inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto and are believed to be able to increase agricultural productivity in their respective regions. This infrastructure development is in line with the President’s Asta Cita, which emphasizes national independence, including in the food sector.
Waskita Karya Corporate Secretary, Ermy Puspa Yunita, explained that the Rukoh Dam was designed to irrigate 11,950 hectares of irrigation land with an intensive planting pattern, allowing farmers to significantly increase their harvest yields. Meanwhile, the Jlantah Dam will support water supply for 1,494 hectares of land in Jatiyoso and Jumapolo Districts, Karanganyar Regency. With the increasing Planting Index in the area, agricultural productivity is expected to increase sustainably. This infrastructure is real evidence that the government is present to support farmers and ensure that national food security is maintained.
In addition to being a source of irrigation, these two dams also play a role in providing raw water and energy. For example, the Rukoh Dam is able to provide raw water of 0.90 cubic meters per second and has the potential to become a Solar Power Plant (PLTS) with a capacity of 140 megawatts. On the other hand, the Jlantah Dam can supply raw water of up to 150 liters per second and has the potential to produce energy from a Micro Hydro Power Plant (PLMTH) of 0.625 megawatts. Thus, this project not only supports the agricultural sector, but also contributes to the availability of green energy.
The government, through the Ministry of SOEs, is trying to encourage the development of dam infrastructure as part of a grand strategy to achieve food self-sufficiency. Dam construction is not just about building water reservoirs, but also opening up employment opportunities for the surrounding community. PT Waskita Karya, in accordance with government direction, also ensures that these projects absorb local labor, thus providing broader economic benefits for the community.
In addition to the Rukoh and Jlantah Dams, PT Waskita Karya is also still working on several other dam projects, such as the Bener, Tiga Dihaji, Mbay, Jragung, Cibeet, and Karangnongko Dams. Throughout 2024, several strategic dams have been inaugurated, including the Karian Dam in January, Margatiga and Leuwikeris in August, and Temef in October. All of these projects demonstrate the government’s seriousness in building infrastructure that supports food and water security.
Meanwhile, Agricultural Observer from the Indonesian Political Economy Association (AEPI), Khudori, assessed that with the right budget allocation, the target of rice self-sufficiency can be achieved easily. The government has prepared various policy instruments, including budgets for the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Public Works, as well as subsidies that ensure that rice fields can be planted optimally. With these concrete steps, the government is not only pursuing self-sufficiency in the short term, but also ensuring its sustainability in the long term.
However, the sustainability of food self-sufficiency does not only depend on the construction of dam infrastructure. Khudori emphasized that the government must also ensure that there is a sufficient budget to maintain agricultural productivity from year to year. In addition, it is important for the government to optimize existing agricultural land, such as the food estate project in Merauke. The main focus should be on increasing the efficiency of existing land before opening new land. In this way, the balance between food production and environmental preservation can be maintained.
Another step that also needs to be considered is the protection of productive agricultural land. The conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural areas must be controlled so as not to reduce national food production capacity. The government must ensure that every policy related to land use remains in favor of food security and farmer welfare.
On the other hand, increasing agricultural productivity also needs to be supported by research and development (R&D). With innovation in agriculture, land productivity can continue to increase without having to open new land. Strengthening investment in agricultural research needs to be done so that Indonesia can produce superior varieties, more efficient irrigation technology, and agricultural systems that are more adaptive to climate change.
The success of dam projects such as Rukoh and Jlantah shows that the government is on the right track in ensuring national food security. With the right combination of policies, optimization of agricultural land, and support for research and innovation, Indonesia is getting closer to sustainable food independence. The government has worked hard to ensure the availability of water for agriculture, and full support from various parties will further accelerate the achievement of the goal of food self-sufficiency.
*) Researcher from the Pancasila Madani Institute
