Demfarm succeeds is a proof the swamp can: head of Balittra

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The succeed of rice farming at the Demfarm Serasi (a project of Agriculture Ministry) in Jejangkit Muara Village, Barito Kuala District, South Kalimantan, became a proof that even swampland was able to increase productivity.

"The potential of farming in Jejangkit Muara is very promosing, by using agricultural machine tools at the monotonous swampland we can optimize the yields," Head of the Swampland Agriculture Research Institute (Balittra) of the Agriculture Ministry's Agency for Agricultural Research and Development Hendri Sosiawan said, Wednesday.

While conventional farming only produces 1.5 to 3 tons per hectare of dried unhusked rice (GKP), then the pilot Demfarm Serasi at it first harvest, attended by Agriculture Infrastructure Director General Sarwo Edhy and the Agriculture Ministry's Research and Development Agency (Balitbangtan) Head Fadjry Djufry represented Agriculture Minister H Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Agricultural Land Resources Center Head Dr. Husnain, has produced 6,4 to 7.9 ton GKP per hectare or there is an increase of 2 to 3 times of income for the farmers.

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Demfarm is a demonstration of rice farming as one of the methods of counseling in the field to show clearly the way or results of the application of a proven and profitable rice technology innovation for farmers carried out by farmer groups. While Serasi (Save swampland prosper farmers) is a program from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Demfarm Serasi is a proof to a wider community that by managing swampland properly and correctly we can cultivate rice plant and horticulture, as well as livestock and fish farming in one agricultural location.

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"All existing local potential can be maximized, of course with the hope to improve farmers welfare along with the high income from all farming business we work on up to duck and fish farming," Hendri described to Antaranews.

They keys, he said, is rice cultivation by applying Teknologi Panca Kelola Lahan Rawa packed in the package of technology raisa (intensive, super and actual swampland) which covers water management technology, land preparation and structuring, amelioration and fertilization, superior varieties, integrated control of plant pests organisms, and supported with the use of agricultural tools and machinery.

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The implementation of agricultural mechanization is to support the work of farmers, including in land making using boat tractor which have also been leading products from Balitbangtan.

Then the use of planting drones to spread seeds and the application of pesticides and fertilizers, so that all agricultural machinery in the swampland can reduce time to cultivate the land, planting time, and labor efficiency.

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"Hopefully the community can imitate this technology we have applied in all areas of tidal swamps in South Kalimantan in particular and in Indonesia in general. Swamp can!" Concluded Hendri.