Tanjung, S Kalimantan (Antaranews Kalsel) - The District Government of Tabalong continues to strengthen agricultural products by increasing supporting infrastructures such as water channels or retention basins (known as embung) in a number of villages to be able to plant twice a year.
Including optimization of swampland spread in the southern region is also a concern for the Tabalong Government in increasing rice production.
"In particular, we have prepared free seeds for land if there is a failed crop," explained Regent Anang Syakhfiani.
Anang acknowledged that the utilization of swampland as an agricultural area was constrained by the high water flow in the rainy season.
It is recorded that there are about 5,000 hectares of swamp lowland in the southern region, namely in Muara Harus Subdistrict 148 hectares, Kelua 995 hectares, Banua Lawas 3,399 hectares and Pugaan 1,046 hectares.
"It is planned that the irrigation channel assistance from the center will be carried out in the southern region in order to optimize the swampland," Anang explained.
Furthermore, in the northern region, such as Nawin Village, Haruai Subdistrict, a reservoir will also be built to anticipate drought in the dry season.
According to the Nawin Village Chief Marhani, the lack of water supply during the dry season is an obstacle to applying the planting pattern twice a year. "Embung is a solution for farmers to get water supply during the dry season," explained Marhani.
Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency Noor Rifani said the construction of the embung cost around Rp286 million from the 2018 regional budget.
"This embung is able to irrigate agricultural land around 90 hectares with a water capacity of 8,000 cubic meters," Rifani said.
