Agricom.id, GUNUNGKIDUL – The farmers’ will of Kelompok Tani Ngudi Subur to plant three times would immediately be realized. They who live in Village of Putat, Sub district of Patuk, District of Gunungkidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province would realize it by advantaging the trench dam.

Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) said that the construction of water reservoir or trench dam is to anticipate the possibility of El – Nino or dry season. It is hoped to hold on the water and water the paddy fields to minimize the loss of the farmers.

“The program to construct reservoir is the strategic one to hold on the water or the source of water from the other spots. It would cover 25 hectares (ha) for the food plantation; 5 ha for the plantation, horticulture, and livestock,” SYL said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

He thought that it would increase the farmers’ income within the good agricultural practices. The area conservation project is hoped to save the critical areas by developing the productive conservation plantation.

“The people and the farmers should maintain and take care about what the government has constructed,” he asked.

General Director of Agriculture Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture, Sarwo Edhy said that the infrastructure construction would be for 400 units in 30 provinces, and more than 226 districts/cities. It would cover the construction of reservoir, dam, trench, and would be in long-storage.

"The rehabilitasi jaringan irigasi tersier (RJIT) is adjustable with the farmers’ need. Most of the fund would be distributed through the self-management system done by the farmers. In general, the RJIT would be better because the farmers would have sense of belonging. We would construct it in phase based on their needs,” he said.

He also mentioned that the formulation of RJIT is the broken network, there should be paddy field around it, there is (are) source (s) of water, and there are farmers.  He thought that by handing over the RJIT to the groups, the construction would be done together or self-management.

He also explained that the farmers (people) who need the RJIT help or construct the reservoir could propose to the agriculture agency in their region.

“The agency would follow it up to the General Directorate of Agriculture Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture. It is hoped, it could help and welfare them,” he said.

For all these years, the directorate has monitored the optimization of the jaringan irigasi tersier (JIT) advantages. Besides the directorate would make data and map the irrigation channels which have been or not have been restored.

Head of Food and Agriculture Agency, District of Gunungkidul, Bambang Wisnu Broto said that the trench reservoir construction is the help from the government through ministry of agriculture in 2020. The help would be self-managed by the groups. It would be constructed by many people.

“Facing the dry season, the farmers should immediately process their land and accelerate the paddy planting in the second time in the areas next to the sources of water and intercrops which depends on the rain,” he suggested.

His side also asked for the people to keep some of the harvest in the first season as the food stocks in the future.

Chairman of Kelompok Tani Ngudi Subur, Slamet Raharjo said that by the dam, he hoped that the groups could plant three times and increase the production.

“Hopefully we could harvest three times in a year because the water would be enough,” he said.

The trench reservoir in the region would be 2 meters in width. It is estimated that the trench would water about 30 hectares in a year. Besides holding the water, the reservoir could be the cross way for the tractor to pass through. (A2)