The Minister of PUPR Explains the Importance of Dams for Food Security

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono explained that the construction of dams as water security is an effort to support national food security.

"If the land can be planted twice a year, food production will increase, and this is food security", Basuki said at a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 15, reported by Antara.

Minister Basuki said President Joko Widodo was targeting to build 61 dams. Currently, Indonesia already has about 230 dams and their role is to store raw water reserves.

Even though Indonesia has around 7.3 million hectares of paddy fields, only about 10 per cent of the total land is supplied by dams, while the rest is not.

This of course makes paddy fields that do not get water supply from dams can only be planted once so they are not optimal for increasing food production.

The government through the PUPR Ministry is committed to completing the construction of 61 dams in the 2014 - 2024 period, and by 2022 have completed 38 dams. If all the new dams are completed, they will be able to support approximately 20 per cent of paddy fields.

Basuki said that if water is supplied to the paddy fields from a dam, then the land can be measured, and the cropping pattern can be regulated. Finally, it can be planted twice a year.

Previously, the World Water Council appreciated the Government of Indonesia for having and continuing to build many dams to address water-related problems, such as realizing food and energy security.

During a meeting with the World Water Council, President Jokowi also conveyed a directive that water problems are a global problem faced by many countries. This is because water is one of the main sources for realizing food security in the midst of a crisis threat.

The World Water Council also strongly supports Indonesia as the host for the 2024 World Water Forum.