Majalengka Regency Government Optimises Irrigation to Safeguard Agricultural Production

The Majalengka Regency Government in West Java is optimising irrigation to maintain agricultural production in the area during the 2026 dry season, which has the potential to increase the risk of drought.

Majalengka Regent Eman Suherman said on Wednesday that water availability must be safeguarded because it is one of the determining factors in whether farmers can maintain land productivity.

“If the El Niño conditions are as strong as they are now, we must not let our farmers lose their harvest. That is why we need to anticipate water needs from the outset,” he said.

One of the measures being taken, he said, is optimising 119 pump irrigation units and 37 pipe irrigation units that have been distributed to farmer groups in several areas.

According to him, these facilities help meet crop water requirements, especially during the second planting season, while also reducing farmers’ dependence on rainfall.

Eman also noted that the regional government has strengthened water supply through the handling of diversion channels, which has had an impact on farmers’ ability to irrigate agricultural land in the northern part of Majalengka.

He gave the example of around 2,000 hectares of land in the area, where previously only 500 hectares had the potential to be harvested due to water limitations. After the diversion channel was repaired, the entire area can now be planted and harvested.

“The improvement in water flow has increased the coverage of land that can be harvested. What was previously only partial because of concerns about drought, now all 2,000 hectares have the opportunity to be harvested,” he said.

The regional government is also preparing measures for the Ligung, Bantarwaru, and Leuweunghapit areas by promoting the use of solar-powered pumps as a short-term solution to reduce irrigation operating costs.

For the long term, Eman continued, the regional government has proposed the construction of a diversion channel of around 700 metres in the Sindupraja Channel.

Meanwhile, Head of the Majalengka Regency Agriculture Office Gatot Sulaeman said his office is ensuring that the pump and pipe irrigation facilities that have been provided can operate and be used optimally by farmer groups.

“We do not only distribute the facilities, but we also check their utilisation in the field. We continue to map drought-prone areas so that the handling is more precise,” he said.

In addition to strengthening irrigation, the Majalengka Regency Government is encouraging the repair of damaged irrigation networks and has proposed the construction of retention basins in several areas, including Mekarjaya, to the central government.

“These efforts are reinforced by the designation of 40,700 hectares of land as Sustainable Food Agricultural Land together with the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency to maintain the availability of food production land in Majalengka Regency,” he said.