Swampland can help boost rice output<\/p>\n
By Kardono<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government's plan to convert 1.3 million
\nhectares of Central Kalimantan swampland into rice fields (The
\nJakarta Post, Nov. 29) reveals the potential of such land.<\/p>\n
The plan, if materialized, would yield about 4 tons of rice
\nper hectare and it is hoped that Indonesia will again become self
\nsufficient in rice.<\/p>\n
Swampland and rice fields have much in common. Both are a type
\nof wetland, which generally form transition zones between
\nterrestrial land forms and water bodies. Wetlands are also able
\nto support plant life and aquatic systems.<\/p>\n
Because of their position, wetlands are usually the recipient
\nor nutrients from runoff water and erosion. High productivity and
\nlow decomposition rates result in one of the most common
\ncharacteristics of wetlands -- the accumulation of organic
\nmatter.<\/p>\n
A wetland should have three main components: the dominance of
\nwater, the presence of wet soil and the ability to support
\nsuitable vegetation.<\/p>\n
Wetlands, which include swamps, marshes and bogs, are found on
\nevery continent except Antarctica and in every climate from the
\ntropics to the tundra. An estimated 6 percent of the earth's land
\nsurface is wetland. Wetlands are found in arid regions in the
\nform of salt flats; in humid, cool regions as bogs; and along
\ntemperate, subtropical and tropical coastlines in the form of
\nsalt marshes and mangrove swamps.<\/p>\n
Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems on earth. In
\nthe great scheme of things, it was the swampy environment of the
\nCarboniferous Period that produced and preserved many of the
\nfossil fuels on which we now depend. Wetlands are also a valuable
\nsource of chemical, biological and genetic materials.<\/p>\n
Wetlands -- as the downstream receivers of waste from both
\nnatural and human sources -- are sometimes described as \"the
\nkidneys of the landscape\" for the functions they perform in
\nhydrologic and chemical cycles. They have been found to cleanse
\npolluted waters, prevent floods, protect shorelines, and recharge
\ngroundwater aquifers. Furthermore, and most important to some,
\nwetlands play major roles in the landscape by providing unique
\nhabitats for a wide variety of flora and fauna.<\/p>\n
Domestic wetlands such as rice paddies feed a large portion of
\nthe world's population. Peat lands have been mined by several
\ncountries as a source of energy. Mangrove wetlands are important
\nfor timber, food and tannin in many countries. Salt marshes were
\nused for centuries for grazing, hay production and thatching for
\nroofs.<\/p>\n
In the world, significant wetland conversion to other uses did
\nnot occur until early in the industrial era, because agricultural
\nland was always available in that time, and it was easier to move
\non than to develop such marginal land.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, it was not until about the last 20 years that
\nfarmers and government began to turn their attention to the less
\nagriculturally desirable wetlands that always required extensive
\ndrainage before they could be farmed. Although expensive to
\nprepare, many wetlands make productive agricultural lands for
\nseveral reasons. They are usually somewhat flat and lend
\nthemselves to mechanized farming, especially for rice paddy
\nplant. Having formed under wet conditions, the soils usually have
\nhigher organic matter content than the surrounding uplands. Also,
\nsince wetlands usually occupy the lowest position in the
\nlandscape, erosional material containing clays are usually
\ndeposited in wetlands, adding to both the fertility and water
\nholding capacity of the soil.<\/p>\n
Most wetland conversions to agriculture have reasonably been
\nsuccessful. However, we need to be careful not to damage the
\noriginal environmental conditions. For example, when converting
\ncoastal acid sulfate soils, such as the swamps in Central
\nKalimantan, to agricultural fields, some attention must be given.
\nThese are soils that have accumulated pyrites during their
\nformation. Oxidation of pyritic material occurred when these
\nareas were drained and resulted in extreme acidity, which might
\nmake the area unusable.<\/p>",
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