Increase Agricultural Productivity, Minister Of Agriculture Amran Ready To Support The Development Of Pumpization Using Solar Power

Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman admitted that he is ready to support the development of pumping by using solar power, in order to create efficiency in increasing agricultural productivity towards food self-sufficiency.

Amran conveyed this, responding to a report from one of the field agricultural instructors (PPL) who conveyed to the Minister of Agriculture that in the Purbalingga Regency area, Central Java, there are those who develop agricultural water pumps with solar power.

"(We will) call the child, if I have time to meet him. If not, (then) meet the Director General (Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities/Director General of PSP Ministry of Agriculture Ali Jamil)," Amran said in a statement in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, July 31.

Amran admitted that the Ministry of Agriculture is ready to support the development of pumping with solar power so that it is not only used in the Purbalingga area, but can be used for other regions in Indonesia.

Even the Minister of Agriculture instructed the Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (Dirjen PSP) to refocus the budget.

"We (will) budget for up to 10 (units), we will test it up to 10 (units). It's finished (in Purbalingga), just check there (Purbalingga)," said Amran.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (Dirjen PSP) of the Ministry of Agriculture Ali Jamil admitted that there is still a possibility to refocus the budget.

"We'll see later, there may be an opportunity (for budget refocusing), we'll see," said Ali.

Previously, a field agricultural instructor (PPL) of Purbalingga Nanik Istiqomah asked for support from the Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman for the development of pumping using solar power.

Nanik reported to the Minister of Agriculture that there were sons in the area in Purbalingga who developed pumping with solar power, as a solution to the problems faced by farmers in the area regarding the high price of fuel when using pumping.

"So, some problems on agricultural land related to pumping are fuel, so some farmers have a slight objection because the cost can be IDR 500,000 in one month," said Nanik.

As a result, farmers must spend a budget for the cost of pumping fuel up to around Rp43 million in processing rice fields on an area of 120 hectares.

"Currently we are from the Purbalingga Regency Government, our Regent is very supportive regarding the pumping of solar power. We need support (from the Ministry of Agriculture) for the development of solar power pumps," said Nanik.

Meanwhile, in terms of water pumps, Nanik admitted that the Purbalingga area already has many of these tools, it's just that farmers in the area where he devotes himself need solar water pumps.

Nanik also revealed that the Purbalingga Regency Government through the local regent's grant fund is currently developing solar water pumps to encourage agricultural productivity in the area by using a 3-inch channel-sized pump.

"Currently, the development of solar power from the subsidiaries (cost) is only around Rp. 30 million to Rp. 40 million, with six solar panels," he explained.

Therefore, he hopes that the Ministry of Agriculture can support the development of solar power pumping in Purbalingga so that in the future it can use a pump of up to 6 inches.

"If you use a 6-inch pump, you can drain water for 10 hectares in one day, free of charge, zero rupiah," said Nanik.