Jakarta. During President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ten-year administration, Indonesia has focused on enhancing agricultural infrastructure by constructing 45 new dams to bolster food security. This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy to improve resilience against climate change and ensure sustainable agricultural productivity.

According to Endra S. Atmawidjaja, expert staff at the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry, only about 11 percent of Indonesia's 7.3 million hectares of rice fields previously received continuous irrigation. The new dams are expected to significantly increase this percentage, allowing farmers to improve their yields.

"In the past decade, we've boosted agricultural productivity, raising our planting index from 1.7 to nearly 3. These new dams enhance our water storage capabilities, enabling us to achieve two to three harvests instead of just one," Endra told the Jakarta Globe on Friday.

The dams are vital for maintaining water supplies during dry seasons, thus mitigating the impacts of climate change on food production. "During dry spells, we often face food shortages and must rely on imports. As countries adopt protectionist policies, we must ensure our self-sufficiency by cultivating productive lands," he explained.

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Endra emphasized that climate change has led to irregular rainfall patterns, making the storage capacity of the new dams crucial for managing excess water during heavy rains and preventing flooding in residential areas. "We aim to build 61 dams in total. The remaining ones will be addressed by the next administration, with several expected to be completed by 2025," he added.

The latest dam, Bendungan Leuwikeris, located on the border between Tasikmalaya and Ciamis in West Java, is the most expensive dam project under Jokowi’s administration, with an investment of Rp 3.5 trillion. Officially inaugurated by Jokowi on Aug. 29, 2024, Bendungan Leuwikeris has been a national strategic project since its development began in 2016.

These dams will collectively provide a capacity of 3.734 million cubic meters, benefiting irrigation services across 71 areas. Specifically, 16 locations will draw from completed dams, while 55 will utilize those still under construction.

Overall, the targeted use of these dams aims to irrigate 385,646 hectares, with the potential to increase irrigation coverage by 17.43 percent, translating to approximately 1.245 million hectares, thereby reinforcing the nation’s food security.

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