Bandung Regency aims to designate 24,200 hectares of paddy fields as sustainable farmland to protect farmers

Bandung Regency, West Java, is targeting around 24,200 hectares of primary paddy field area (LBS) to be established as Sustainable Food Agricultural Land (LP2B) to strengthen the protection of agricultural land.

The Regent of Bandung, Dadang Supriatna, stated in Bandung on Tuesday that this area is equivalent to approximately 87 per cent of the total primary paddy field area in Bandung Regency, which reaches 27,800 hectares.

“Our primary paddy field area is 27,800 hectares. To become LP2B, about 87 per cent, which means around 24,200 hectares,” he said.

He noted that the proposal for the LP2B designation was submitted by the Bandung Regency Government to the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) in July 2024.

According to him, the proposed data is currently undergoing reconciliation and cleansing stages before the LP2B designation process is finalised by the central government.

“One month ago, we submitted it to the Ministry of ATR/BPN. It is currently being processed, involving reconciliation and cleansing. God willing, there will be developments within the next two days,” he added.

Dadang stated that the designation of LP2B is a vital part of maintaining the existence of agricultural land in Bandung Regency, particularly to prevent the reduction of paddy fields due to conversion for non-agricultural needs.

He assessed that the protection of agricultural land must be carried out in a measurable manner by designating land to be maintained as LP2B, ensuring its availability as part of regional food security efforts.

The target of approximately 87 per cent is also in line with the central government’s policy direction regarding the protection of paddy fields, with LP2B serving as an instrument to defend food agricultural land from conversion pressures.

Dadang expressed hope that the data reconciliation process with the Ministry of ATR/BPN can be completed promptly so that the LP2B designation for Bandung Regency can be implemented, providing certainty for the agricultural land that must be preserved.