Inaugurating Bendo Dam, Jokowi: We Hope To Increase Farmer Productivity

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo inaugurated the Bendo Dam in Bendo Hamlet, Ngindeng Village, Sawoo District, Ponorogo Regency, East Java Province this afternoon. This dam was built at a cost of Rp1.1 trillion.

"Alhamdulillah, this afternoon the Bendo Dam has been completed and is ready to function," said Jokowi in his remarks, broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat Youtube on Tuesday, September 7.

Jokowi advised farmers to make the best use of the dam which is connected to the irrigation network. Thus, their productivity increases.

"I want to give a message that this dam is used as well as possible by connecting it to all existing irrigation networks. So that the community, especially farmers, can increase their agricultural productivity," said Jokowi.

Bendo Dam has a capacity of 43 million cubic meters with an inundation area of 170 hectares, and the height of the dam is 74 meters.

This dam will provide irrigation for 7,800 hectares of rice fields, raw water supply of 370 liters per second, and can reduce flooding by 31 percent or 117.4 cubic meters per second. Furthermore, Jokowi revealed that there will be completion of 17 dams in 2021. A total of 7 dams have been inaugurated previously, namely the Tukul Dam in Pacitan Regency, East Java; Tapin Dam in Tapin Regency, South Kalimantan; and the Napun Gete Dam in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Furthermore, in March, the Sindang Heula Dam was inaugurated in Serang Regency, Banten

In addition to the seven dams that have been inaugurated, there are ten more that will be completed and inaugurated in 2021.

The ten dams are: 1. Paselloreng Dam in Wajo Regency, South Sulawesi (September)2. Karalloe Dam in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi (October)3. Ladongi Dam in East Kolaka Regency, Sulawesi (October)4. Bintang Bano Dam in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (October)5. Ciawi Dam in Ciawi Regency, West Java (November)6. Sukamahi Dam in Ciawi Regency, West Java (November)7. Tugu Dam in Trenggalek Regency, East Java (December)8. Gongseng Dam in Bojonegoro Regency, East Java (December)9. Pidekso Dam in Wonogiri Regency, Central Java (December)10. Margatiga Dam in East Lampung Regency, Lampung (December).