Ministry Of Agriculture Emphasizes The Importance Of Irrigation Facilities For The Progress Of The Agriculture Sector

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Director General of Infrastructure and Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture Ali Jamil said irrigation facilities are one of the keys to agricultural progress and improving farmers' welfare.

"With good irrigation and maximum land management, I am sure that the welfare of the community will also increase," Ali said in a written statement, quoted from Antara, in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 27.

This was conveyed by Ali when reviewing irrigation pump facilities in several farmer groups in Sukabumi Regency, West Java.

Four farmer groups in Loji Village, Simpenan District, which are reviewed are Poktan Tegal Lega, Cilangkap, Bojong Mukti, and Loji. Meanwhile, two farmer groups in Bantargebang Village, Bantargadung District, which are reviewed are Lengkob and Bantar Gebang.

In Loji Village, Ali Jamil spoke with the public and found that 320 hectares of land could not be processed optimally due to the damage to the Sidadang Dam which was the source of the farmers' water.

Of the total 320 hectares of land, only 50 hectares can be processed using water from shallow wells using water pumps made by non-governmental organizations.

Regarding this, Ali said the Ministry of Agriculture would immediately send aid in the form of an irrigation pump by taking water from the downstream of the Cidadap river.

"We are doing pumping downstream of the Cidadap river to meet the water shortage for cultivation," said Ali.

He hopes that with the help of an irrigation pump from the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers will be able to return optimally in planting and harvesting. Even if the intensity of the harvest is usually only 2 times a year, it can increase to three times with maximum results.

Meanwhile, while in Bantargebang Village, Bantargadung District, Ali Jamil inspected the functioning of pumps and irrigation channels previously provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Previously, the community complained that 50 hectares of land could not be managed because it was constrained by distance from water sources.

Now the farmers have come out of trouble because even though the distance between agricultural land and springs is about 300 meters, it can be completed with the help of pumps and water irrigation paralon hoses provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Ali emphasized that the provision of pumps and irrigation paralon must be felt directly by the farmers. This is necessary to ensure that all agricultural land gets water well.

Then during a visit to the Bantargebang farmer group, Bantargebang Village Ali inspected irrigation pump assistance in 25 hectares of agricultural land which was previously only managed by 5 hectares.

Now the land can be flowed with water and can even increase the intensity of the harvest from the previous two times a year to three times a year.

"Alhamdulillah, now people can harvest 3 times a year," he said.