REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BENGKULU -- The ministry will prioritize the repair of irrigation channels to provide water to three million hectares of land in a bid to achieve food self-sufficiency, Indonesian Agricultural Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated.

"We are targeting to accomplish the repair of irrigation channels to be used for paddy cultivation in fields measuring 1.5 million hectares," Amran said here on Wednesday (4/3).

According to the minister, more than 50 percent of the irrigation channels are damaged and are affecting the paddy production.

The minister visited Bengkulu to hand over agricultural machine equipment in Rejanglebong District.

Amran noted that at least 52 percent of the tertiary irrigation channels in Bengkulu are damaged. The ministry is targeting to repair the channels in 2015.

The ministry has allocated a budget to repair the irrigation channels in 2015 in an effort to provide water to 38 thousand hectares of paddy fields in Bengkulu.

"In April, we will repair tertiary irrigation channels to provide water to an additional 18 thousand hectares of land. So, the repair work on the irrigation channels in Bengkulu will be completed this year," the minister remarked.

Amran revealed that the government will repair access roads for the farmers in 2016.

Bengkulu Governor Junaidi Hamsyah pointed out three main agricultural problems faced in Bengkulu: quality of seeds and fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and road access.

The agricultural minister has handed over 71 units each of water pump machines, manual tractors, and paddy harvesting machines to farmer groups in nine districts of Bengkulu Province.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika