President Prabowo Reviews The Pilot Land Of Food Barns In Merauke

Farmers plant rice on agricultural land in Telaga Sari Village, Kurik District, Merauke Regency, South Papua, (photo: dock. between)

MERAUKE-President Prabowo Subianto paid a working visit to Merauke Regency, South Papua, to review pilot areas or demonstration plots in Wanam Village, Sunday 03 November. The land was developed as a large-scale agricultural area with the aim of supporting the achievement of national food barns in the South Papua region.

President Prabowo's visit marks the government's commitment to optimizing the potential for fertile land in Papua to increase national food security. Based on information received in Jakarta, the President went directly to the location of the demonstration plot which was devoted to the practice of rice cultivation techniques with the latest technology.

On this occasion, President Prabowo witnessed the preparation of land carried out by local farmers, which was prepared optimally for the next planting season. This rice Demplot is expected to be a model for local farmers, with the application of agricultural techniques designed to improve yields and harvest quality.

The President also witnessed firsthand the land processing process and dolomite relief to increase soil fertility. Farmers at the site are seen spreading dolomites, known as effective natural ingredients for neutralizing soil acidity, repairing soil structures, and increasing the availability of nutrients that are important for plants.

Head of the Food Security Task Force of the Ministry of Agriculture, Major General TNI Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, explained that the rice field printing program in Wanam and its surrounding areas is part of the plan to develop large-scale agricultural land in Merauke. According to Ahmad Rizal, this program began in Merauke with a target of opening 100 thousand hectares of rice fields, which will later be expanded to reach 1 million hectares from Wanam to Muting.

"Around Merauke, especially in Wanam, a rice field printing program is targeted to reach 100 thousand hectares, then it will be developed from Wanam to Muting with a total of about 1 million hectares," explained Ahmad Rizal. If 100 thousand hectares of rice fields can produce 6 tons of rice per hectare, then the total harvest produced is 600 thousand tons of rice.

To support the success of this program, the government also plans to build supporting infrastructure in the form of a dock in Wanam and a 135-kilometer road connecting Wanam with Muting. This infrastructure development is expected to facilitate access for farmers in transporting agricultural equipment and harvest from land to distribution points.

With flat and cloudy land conditions, Merauke Regency also has abundant water sources, very supportive of local agricultural needs. The land in this area is on average fertile, with a black soil layer of 15-30 cm thickness, so it is ideal for rice farming.

"The condition of land and soil fertility in Merauke strongly supports the achievement of food self-sufficiency which is the big goal of this project," added Ahmad Rizal.

During this visit, President Prabowo was accompanied by several important officials, including Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Head of BIN Muhammad Herindra, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, and Acting Governor of South Papua Rudy Sufahriadi.