Legislator Urges Acceleration of Tertiary Irrigation Repairs in Sumedang

A West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) legislator, Ineu Purwadewi Sundari, is encouraging the acceleration of tertiary irrigation repairs in Darmajaya Village, Darmaraja, Sumedang Regency, to support agricultural productivity and strengthen regional food security. Ineu stated that the irrigation repairs are a concrete follow-up to community aspirations conveyed during a recess period and are now beginning to be realised through support from the West Java Provincial Government. “This irrigation repair is a tangible follow-up to the community’s aspirations expressed during the recess and is now being realised,” she said. She noted that adequate irrigation infrastructure is crucial to guarantee water availability for agricultural land, thereby increasing farmer productivity while supporting regional food security. Ineu added that irrigation issues are among the most frequently raised aspirations by the community during recess activities and working visits in her electoral district. She said she will continue to oversee agricultural infrastructure needs so they can be accommodated in regional development programmes, thus boosting regional food security. “I initiated and encouraged the construction to use the provincial government budget, so that the community’s irrigation needs can be addressed immediately,” she stated. She expressed hope that synergy between the West Java DPRD, the West Java Provincial Government through the Water Resources Agency (PSDA), and the local government will be further strengthened so that agricultural infrastructure development can proceed sustainably and support the improvement of community welfare in Sumedang Regency. The Head of the Sumedang Food Security and Agriculture Office, Tono Suhartono, previously stated that strengthening the irrigation system is the main foundation for increasing agricultural productivity. “Our main focus now is ensuring the technical irrigation network functions properly, because that is the main foundation for farmers to increase the planting index in a more measured and sustainable manner,” he said. His office recorded that the total length of the irrigation network in the agricultural sector reaches approximately 2.1 million metres, irrigating around 30,000 hectares of rice fields, with more than 70 percent of the system claimed to be in good condition. This is an important matter considering the region’s rice production in 2025 reached around 294,000 tonnes, while the community’s consumption needs are around 103,000 tonnes per year, leaving Sumedang with a rice surplus of more than 190,000 tonnes. With adequate irrigation infrastructure support, the local government hopes agricultural productivity can continue to increase, thereby maintaining food security while improving the welfare of farmers in Sumedang Regency.