Tanjung, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Pugaan Sub-district in Tabalong District, South Kalimantan, is preparing a 200 hectares land to support food security program by developing horticulture plants.
Head of Pugaan Sub-district Farith Yusriannur Riza said that all village heads have committed to allocate 20 percent of fund to support the program which is carried out in the south area of Tabalong.
"We have idle land reaching 800 hectares in Pugaan Sub-district and about 200 hectares will be utilized for food security program," Farid expounded here on Saturday.
The land is spread across Pampanan village, Tamunti Village, and Jirak Village and has not been used optimally due to road infrastructure obstacles.
Read also: Tabalong partners with IPB for scholarship program
The plan to open up the idle land in the three villages received support from Tabalong Regent Muhammad Noor Rifani by improving agricultural and garden roads infrastruture.
"Food security in the South will continue to be trengthened with the support of road infrastructure and repairs of tributaries," said the Regent when attending melon harvest in Pugaan Village, Pugaan Sub-district.
Creeks repairing which using amphibious excavator, said Rifani, is expected to optimize agricultural land to build a progressive, independent and modern agriculture-based villages.
The government of Tabalong is also committed to support food security development program by providing seeds, agricultural tools and machinery, assistance by extension workers, and zero percent interest capital loals for farmers through Tabalong SMART credit.
Read also: Tabalong farmers develop true seed of shallot
During the melon harvest in Pugaan Village, the Regent was accompanied by Chairperson of TP PKK Desi Suryanti Noor Rifani, Deputy Speaker of DPRD Noor Farida, DPRD member Khairullah and Tabalong government officials.
DPRD Deputy Speaker Noor Farida appreciated Tabalong government's efforts in supporting food security program in the South.
"In addition to road infrastructure support, the government must also prepare a comprehensive market for horticultural farmers," she said.
In Pugaan Village, Bumi Kencana Farmers Group is cultivating one hectare land to develop hybrid melon varieties with a characteristic of golden yellow skin and Merlin hybrid melons with orange flesh.
Read also: Tabalong's farmers reap benefit from edamame
