Jakarta. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring East Java remains Indonesia’s national food barn. 

“The main goal is to ensure East Java continues to be the national rice barn,” Dody said during a visit to the Mrican irrigation rehabilitation site, which serves the districts of Jombang, Nganjuk, and Kediri, on Thursday

He said irrigation plays a critical role in achieving food self-sufficiency. He hoped that the rehabilitation would ensure a stable water supply for rice fields and boost crop yields.

The Mrican irrigation system covers 30,341 hectares of agricultural land, supported by a 19 km primary canal and 218 km of secondary canals. Rehabilitation has been completed on 110 km of the 138 km system, with work ongoing for the remaining 28 km. Dody explained that the project aims to increase the planting index, which would enhance rice and food crop production.

Once completed, the planting index is projected to rise from 233 percent to 260 percent, increasing food production from 551,417 tons to 615,315 tons annually. Dody also acknowledged additional challenges to achieving food self-sufficiency by 2028, such as meeting fertilizer and seed requirements. He said that his ministry is collaborating with the Agriculture Ministry to address these issues.

Dody further highlighted that the irrigation rehabilitation supports President Prabowo Subianto’s vision of achieving national food self-sufficiency.