Rice Field Program Helps Optimize Land to Increase Food Production
Balikpapan – Head of Information for Kodam VI/Mulawarman, Colonel Kavaleri Kristiyanto, stated that his party fully supports the 2025 food self-sufficiency program. This program aims to increase food production by optimizing unproductive land.
“Food self-sufficiency is a continuation of the food security program in 2024, including rice field printing activities, land optimization (oplah), and additional planting area (LTT),” said Kapendam Kristiyanto during the celebration of the VI/Mulawarman Pendam Anniversary in Balikpapan.
Kristiyanto explained that the rice field printing program is an effort to convert unproductive land into agricultural land that can be planted with rice. In 2025, Kodam VI/Mulawarman has a target of 150,000 hectares per year. The target for the first semester of 2025 is 75,000 hectares.
“From the total area, the target for the first semester of 2025 has been agreed to be 75,000 hectares,” he explained.
The implementation of this rice field program is carried out in the area of the Military Resort Command (Korem) 101/Antasari located in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan Province. The working area of Korem 101/Antasari includes Banjarmasin Regency, Barito Kuala Regency (Batola), Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency, Tanah Bumbu Regency, Tanah Laut Regency, and Tapin Regency.
“The rice field program at Korem 101/Antasari involves various regencies in South Kalimantan. We ensure cross-sector synergy to carry out this activity,” added Kristiyanto.
In its implementation, Kodam VI/Mulawarman synergizes with the Ministry of Agriculture which has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). This cooperation includes technical assistance and provision of agricultural needs.
“The Ministry of Agriculture will work side by side with our personnel in each Kodim who will work together to implement the new rice field program,” said Kristiyanto.
Furthermore, Kristiyanto explained that the rice field printing program was carried out by professional personnel directly appointed by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, while personnel from Korem 101/Antasari acted as assistants.
“So, starting from the provision of seeds, fertilizers, to the purchase of harvests, it is carried out by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture,” he said. This collaboration also aims to minimize the potential for land conflicts that can hinder the implementation of the program.
The land targeted by the rice field printing program includes idle land, unproductive oil palm plantation land, and empty land converted into agricultural land. Kodam VI/Mulawarman also focuses the program on land with the status of Cultivation Rights (HGU) that is not being utilized.
“We will involve HGU owners so that these lands can be utilized optimally to support food self-sufficiency,” he concluded.
President Prabowo Subianto is fully committed to efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency, including by accelerating the achievement of the target for implementing the rice field printing program. The government is targeting the rice field printing program to cover 3 million hectares of land in the next 3-4 years []
