Kediri Regent Delivers Seed and Tractor Aid to Strengthen Food Security
Kediri Regent Hanindhito Himawan Pramana delivered seed and four-wheel tractor agricultural machinery aid to farmers in Ngadiluwih District’s Sumber Sugih Waras, Dukuh Village, on Thursday, 7 May 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen food security in Kediri Regency. A total of 3.39 tonnes of corn seeds will be distributed in 2026 to 15 farmer groups, while one four-wheel tractor was given to the Gapoktan (Farmer Group Association) in Purwokerto Village. During the aid distribution event, Regent Dhito, as he is commonly known, held discussions with farmers who requested additional agricultural machinery support. ‘There were several additional requests, such as combine harvesters for rice harvesting and seed planting equipment,’ Dhito said. The combine harvesters are needed to speed up rice harvesting, while planting equipment is urgently required due to labour shortages for manual planting. ‘God willing, the planting equipment will be provided next week, and the combine harvesters by the end of this year or early next year at the earliest,’ he added. Dhito also received complaints from sugarcane farmers about white grub infestations and requested infrastructure support for irrigation. In response, he stated that submersible pumps would be provided for agricultural water needs, with construction planned for two locations in Ngadiluwih District—Badal Pandean and Ngadiluwih Villages—in 2026. Additionally, a tertiary irrigation network will be built in Bangle Village to enhance water supply. ‘To address white grubs, we will deploy the Department of Agriculture and Plantations team to clean and treat the fields, as delaying could be dangerous,’ he said. Dhito urged farmers to maintain the provided equipment, stressing that the aid aims to bolster food security in Kediri Regency. This is not the first time the Kediri Regency Government has provided such assistance; in previous years, two four-wheel tractors were distributed to farmer groups in Tales Village and Gapoktan in Bangle Village.