Govt modernises Papuan agriculture to strengthen food security

Merauke, South Papua (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture is developing modern agriculture in Merauke Regency, South Papua, to bring it on a par as Japan and the United States standard to strengthening the sustainable national food self-sufficiency.

"The technology used in Merauke, South Papua, is on a par with those applied in Japan, the United States, and other countries," Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said in Merauke Regency, South Papua, on Saturday.

He made the statement after reviewing the implementation of a programme to create new rice fields and optimise 137,000 hectares of land in Waninggap Kai Village, Semangga Sub-district, Merauke Regency.

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The mastery of technology form the foundation for boosting food security, raising local productivity, and improving community living standards in Papua.

Sulaiman added it was remarkable to find farmers in Merauke shifting from conventional to modern practices; from planting to harvest, evidenced by the use of drones, rice transplanters, and combine harvesters.

The modernisation showed an effectiveness in increasing planting frequency and driving up yields in Merauke. Therefore, the region’s cropping index boosted to 2 or higher than the national score of 1.7.

"It means two plantings per year. Let’s make it three, if possible," Sulaiman noted.

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On productivity, he said local farmers are now able to harvest up to seven tonnes of unhusked rice per hectare, rising from the previous average of three tonnes.

"The head of Merauke Regency told me earlier that people’s income had increased by up to 300 percent," Sulaiman said.

Furthermore, he stressed all equipment and machinery delivered to Merauke are intended to help its local communities improve their welfare.

The Ministry of Agriculture remains committed to provide Merauke farmers with continued assistance to ensure broader adoption of modern farming practices. The modernisation drive is proceeding alongside farmland expansion in Papua.

By 2026, the government had developed 83,030 hectares of new rice fields and intensified cultivation on 54,399 hectares of existing farmland, with South Papua accounting for 48,394 hectares of new rice fields.

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Translator: M. Harianto, Tegar Nurfitra

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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