Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has continued to support the development of the food estate program in Central Kalimantan Province, which is expected to become a new food barn outside Java Island.
PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said that water management is important to ensure good water flow in reducing acidity levels in swamps.
"The key is the availability of water for irrigation, followed by agricultural technology," he noted in a written statement received here on Friday.
The ministry’s support covers water resources infrastructure in the form of rehabilitation and improvement of irrigation networks, which has been carried out in stages from September 2020.
There are two food estate developments in Central Kalimantan, namely for rice plants on alluvial land covering an area of 165 thousand hectares (ha), which is an Ex-Peatland Development (PLG) land under the Ministry of Agriculture, and cassava plants covering an area of 60 thousand hectares under the Ministry of Defense.
In 2020–2021, the PUPR Ministry completed two construction activities at the Ex-PLG Block A site covering an area of 43,500 ha in the form of rehabilitation work and improvement of irrigation networks along 2,195 km, with 100-percent completion, Hadimuljono added.
This activity covered eight locations of Swamp Irrigation Areas (DIR), namely DIR UPT Dadahup, DIR Handil Rakyat Palingkau, DIR Palingkau (SP1, SP2, SP3), DIR Handil Rakyat Sei Tatas, DIR Handil Rakyat Keladan Seberang, DIR Tatas, DIR Unit Sekalagon, and DIR Handil Rakyat Palingkau Seberang.
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Furthermore, the construction of sluice gates and bridges contracted out in May 2021 is 100-percent complete. The work includes 12 sluice gates with two secondary doors and 10 tertiary doors as well as support for 10 water pump units, namely five pumps with a capacity of 500 liters/second and five pumps with a capacity of 250 liters/second.
The Ministry of PUPR has continued to support natural resources infrastructure in 2022 through the construction and rehabilitation of the Dir Dadahup Sluice Gate Phase 2, which was contracted out on March 4, 2022.
In addition to carrying out rehabilitation work and improving irrigation networks, the ministry through the Directorate General of Highways is also increasing connectivity to the location of new food estate areas, with a budget of Rp694.5 billion. The work includes road improvement in the Dadahup Kapuas 1 food estate area, which has reached 100-percent completion.
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