BWS Saddang Rehabilitates Irrigation for 8,945 Hectares of Rice Fields in Sidrap

The Saddang River Basin Authority (BWS Saddang), in collaboration with the local government, is rehabilitating a 12.5-kilometre section of the Irrigation Area (DI) in the first phase to strengthen the water supply for 894.5 hectares of rice fields across the Panca Lautang and Tellu Limpue sub-districts in Sidrap Regency, South Sulawesi. “We are accelerating this collaboration to achieve food self-sufficiency,” said Andi Faizal Fahrial, Head of the Non-Vertical Work Unit for Water Utilisation Network Implementation (SNVT PIPA) for the Pompengan Jeneberang River Region, via a press statement on Friday. The rehabilitation will focus on priority points identified through coordination with the Water Resources Management Agency (PSDA), farmer groups, and individual farmers to ensure the community benefits from the irrigation channels. “We entrust this asset to you; let us protect this irrigation together. If the water flows smoothly, Sidrap’s rice productivity as South Sulawesi’s food barn will increase,” he stated. Andi noted that the irrigation network rehabilitation was realised through synergy between the central government and the Sidrap Regency administration, leading to the proposal’s approval. The opportunity to propose a second phase of irrigation network rehabilitation remains open, with hopes that construction will continue until all main irrigation channels are completed. Sidrap Regent Syaharuddin Alrif said the DI rehabilitation addresses irrigation problems that farmers have complained about for decades. The project is valued at approximately IDR 15 billion and will be carried out from July to December 2026. The works include rehabilitating a 12.5-kilometre irrigation channel serving 894.5 hectares of rice fields. Priority sections include BSI19, BSI20A, BSI20, BSI21, and BSI23. He revealed that the irrigation network had not been rehabilitated for decades, leading to sedimentation, rubbish accumulation, and extensive damage that caused suboptimal water distribution to agricultural land. “It has been roughly 50 years since any rehabilitation was carried out. Today marks a new milestone. We are starting the repairs again,” he said. The former Deputy Speaker of the South Sulawesi Regional House of Representatives also requested that the PSDA, the implementation team, and all related parties oversee the works to ensure they proceed quickly, accurately, and are completed on schedule. He stressed that if obstacles arise, they should not be turned into problems but rather solutions should be sought. In addition to the Saddang DI rehabilitation, other water supply programmes in the Tellu Limpoe and Panca Lautang sub-districts include the planned construction of the Torere Weir in Corawali Village and Bilokka Urban Village from 2026 to 2028, with a budget of around IDR 43 billion to irrigate 1,025 hectares of rice fields. The government will also continue the Non-Swamp Land Optimisation programme, which is currently entering the electricity network provision stage. Furthermore, pump-based irrigation will be built in Lajonga and Elle Salewo with a budget of approximately IDR 4 billion.