Jumhur: Government preparing 'water farming' policy

The Indonesian Minister of Environment, Jumhur Hidayat, has stated that the Indonesian government is preparing a policy related to ‘water farming’ to maintain the sustainability of groundwater resources. During a brief media interview at the Indonesia Net Zero Summit (INZS) 2026 in Jakarta on Saturday, Jumhur explained that the policy will require all parties extracting groundwater to return water to the ground through established mechanisms. According to Jumhur, the policy aims to prevent land subsidence, the depletion of groundwater layers, and the destruction of aquatic ecosystems. He noted that the use of groundwater must be balanced with restoration efforts to ensure long-term sustainability. He mentioned that groundwater recovery can be achieved through various methods, such as constructing biopores with specific technical requirements or planting trees appropriate for the volume of water extracted. He stated that technical provisions are still being drafted and will be further regulated within the policy. The Minister emphasised that the ‘water farming’ policy will apply to all parties utilising groundwater, including businesses such as data centres. The government aims to finalise the policy this year following public trials and discussions with relevant stakeholders.