TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Agriculture will create 100,000 hectares of rice fields through the printing method in Central Kalimantan Province, as part of the potential 500,000 hectares of land to be cultivated in the region. 

In a written statement on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the director general of agricultural facilities and infrastructure of the ministry, Andi Nur Alam Syah, said the rice fields will be printed until June 2025. 

The government, Andi said, will allot Rp5.5 trillion for the program, derived from the Ministry of Agriculture’s fund designated for land clearing in Central Kalimantan, totaling Rp29 trillion. The budget will be used for rice field printing, agricultural modernization, land optimization, and the food brigades program.

For the rice field printing, Andi mentioned that his ministry has prepared a Design Investigation Survey (SID). The Ministry of Agriculture also works with the Ministry of Public Works to normalize the land, build embankments, repair sluices, and provide water pumps for irrigation purposes.

For land optimization, said Andi, about 200,000 to 300,000 hectares of land are available in Central Kalimantan. The ministry will continue to provide assistance for land optimization in the region, as well as help with fertilizer subsidies, farming equipments, and push the relaxation on People's Business Credit (KUR) for farmers to accelerate planting.

“Local residents’ participation must be optimized to encourage equal welfare distribution,” he said. While agreeing that the program has been proven unsuccessful in several instances, the ministry official was optimistic the program will pull through this time. 

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