{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1696296,
        "msgid": "banten-provincial-police-utilise-former-mining-land-for-maize-planting-1777013684",
        "date": "2026-04-23 17:01:59",
        "title": "Banten Provincial Police Utilise Former Mining Land for Maize Planting",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Agriculture",
        "summary": "The Banten Provincial Police, in collaboration with local farming groups, has initiated maize cultivation on four hectares of idle former mining land in Cilegon to boost productivity and economic value. Chief of Banten Police, Inspector General Hengki, urged local governments to optimise such underutilised areas using intercropping methods, allowing short-cycle crops like maize to be grown while awaiting mature tree fruits. This initiative aims to reduce Banten's heavy reliance on external maize supplies, which currently meet only 3-5% of local needs, thereby enhancing food security and farmer welfare.",
        "content": "<p>Idle former mining land that has been reforested can still be\nutilised through intercropping systems. Cilegon (ANTARA) - The Banten\nProvincial Police, along with its units and farming groups mentored by\nthe Water and Air Police Unit of the Banten Provincial Police, are\nutilising former mining land to plant maize seedlings on four hectares\nof fallow land owned by residents in Bagendung Neighbourhood, Cilegon\nCity. The Chief of Banten Police, Inspector General Hengki, in Cilegon\non Thursday, called on local governments, from regency\/city levels to\nsub-districts and villages, to optimise the use of fallow land,\nparticularly former mining excavation areas, to make them more\nproductive and provide economic value to the community. \u201cReforested\nformer mining land can still be utilised with intercropping systems.\nWhile waiting for hardwood trees like coconuts to bear fruit in a few\nyears, the land can be planted with maize that can be harvested every\nfour months,\u201d said the Chief of Police. The fallow and former mining\nland is now managed by farming groups partnered with the Water and Air\nPolice Unit of the Banten Provincial Police for maize cultivation. This\nstrategic step is considered capable of increasing production while\nreducing dependence on maize supplies from outside the region. The Chief\nof Police emphasised the importance of active local government roles in\nidentifying neglected lands. Maize was chosen as the commodity because\nit has a relatively short planting period, low production costs, and\ndoes not require maintenance and irrigation as intensive as rice.\nAdditionally, the selling price of maize in the market is considered\nquite competitive and beneficial for farmers. Meanwhile, current maize\nproduction in Banten only meets around three to five percent of total\nneeds, so the province still relies on supplies from other regions such\nas Lampung and West Nusa Tenggara. \u201cThrough the optimisation of fallow\nand former mining land, it is hoped that food security in the Banten\nregion can be further strengthened while boosting the welfare of local\nfarmers,\u201d said the Chief of Police.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banten-provincial-police-utilise-former-mining-land-for-maize-planting-1777013684",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}