Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman is determined to make Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, a model for modern agriculture that can reduce production costs and increase the farmer welfare index. This was conveyed by the Minister of Agriculture after reviewing the water pump installation in Amunkay Village, Tanah Miring District, Merauke Regency.
“Our dream is to transform traditional agriculture into modern agriculture with the aim of improving farmers‘ welfare as it can reduce production costs by up to 60 per cent,” said Minister Amran on Wednesday, 17 April 2024.
As a concrete step, Minister Amran stated that the government is currently working on 20,000 hectares of the total target of 500,000 hectares. Gradually but surely, this target will soon be achieved considering that the Planting Index (IP) in Merauke averages two times per season and can be increased to three times per season.
“Inshallah, we have decided to start by optimising 20,000 hectares, and the budget has been approved today, and we will start working immediately. If this works well, we will move on to manage 500,000 hectares out of a potential 1.2 million hectares. We have started this in 2016-2017 with the Regent on 10,000 hectares, and it was successful, and now it is harvest time,” he explained.
However, the Minister said that planting in the area requires special attention, especially in water management which is still considered inadequate. Therefore, a pompanisation programme in Merauke will be carried out so that farmers can grow crops in the dry season.
“Now we are managing the water well. God willing, the current IP is 1.3 with some areas harvesting twice, and we are targeting to increase the target to three times. This will increase production three times by using the equipment,” he said.
“Firstly, assistance from the central government will be provided. Inshallah in the near future, hopefully within this week, we will send 75 four-wheel tractors from Surabaya, 40 pumps so that farmers can plant in the dry season, 10 combine harvesters, and other equipment. Everything will be given to make Merauke a model,” he explained.
For information, the Ministry of Agriculture continues to make efforts to handle food emergencies in Merauke Regency by implementing the Pompanisation Program for 45,000 hectares of paddy fields and drylands, as well as optimising swamp land and planting TUSIP upland rice on an area of 1,050 hectares.
