BI Tegal and Pekalongan City Government Develop Biosaline Rice on Former Tidal Flood Land
The Tegal Representative Office of Bank Indonesia (KPwBI Tegal) together with the Pekalongan City Government are developing biosaline rice cultivation on land formerly affected by tidal flooding in Degayu Village. The programme is designed to restore the productivity of salinity-affected land while supporting food security.
The initiative was marked by a harvest of the Demfarm Smart Farming Biosaline Rice and the handover of productive endowments for food independence in Degayu Village, Pekalongan, on Wednesday (12/8). The event was attended by Pekalongan Mayor Achmad Afzan Arslan Djunaid, Deputy Mayor Balgis Diab, representatives of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, local institutions, the Pekalongan Sharia Economic Community, Dompet Dhuafa Central Java, and farmer groups.
Head of KPwBI Tegal, Bimala, stated that the programme, which initially involved one farmer group, has now expanded to four groups. This expansion has increased the number of participating farmers and broadened the area of biosaline rice development to 56 hectares. He noted that the productivity of the biosaline rice has surpassed the national average, with initial harvests yielding approximately 6.6 tonnes per hectare.
The Demfarm 2026 programme integrates Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technology to increase land productivity while adapting cultivation practices to the impacts of climate change. Land restoration began with soil remediation using a mixture of biochar, decomposers, and animal manure compost to restore fertility to soil affected by tidal flooding and salinity.
The development of biosaline rice is considered crucial for the northern coastal region of Java, which faces persistent issues of tidal flooding and rising soil salinity. Returning former tidal flood land to productive paddy fields is expected to expand food production areas.
Bimala also welcomed the Pekalongan City Government’s plan to build a seed breeding centre in the area. He said the centre could support the development of former tidal flood land along the entire northern coast of Java. The programme is not only focused on increasing rice production but also on building a sustainable agricultural ecosystem through collaboration between farmer groups, local government, social institutions, and Bank Indonesia.
The biosaline land development is expected to serve as a model for utilising tidal flood-affected land in other coastal regions. By applying adaptive agricultural technology, land previously difficult to cultivate can be returned to food production.