Minister of Public Works: P3TGAI Programme Preserves Sustainability of Subak System in Bali

Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo has stated that the Accelerated Programme for Improving Irrigation Water Management (P3TGAI) has preserved the sustainability of the subak system in Bali. He said in Jakarta on Thursday that strengthening irrigation infrastructure is one of the main foundations for maintaining the sustainability of national food production. Reliable irrigation infrastructure will provide certainty of water supply for farmers, allowing agricultural productivity to continue increasing. “The community-based infrastructure (IBM) programme has a large multiplier effect. Besides producing infrastructure, it also provides direct income to the community through a labour-intensive scheme, thereby stimulating the local economy,” Dody said. The Ministry of Public Works began implementing the P3TGAI for the 2026 fiscal year in Bali Province as an effort to strengthen agricultural irrigation services, preserve the sustainability of the subak system, and support regional food security. This labour-intensive programme directly involves farming communities in the construction and management of irrigation networks so that the benefits can be felt sustainably. The programme’s implementation was marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Bali Penida River Basin Office and the combined associations of water user farmer groups, water user farmer groups, and subak recipients of the 2026 P3TGAI assistance. Dody said that in 2026, P3TGAI in Bali will be implemented in 78 locations spread across six regencies: Gianyar Regency with 26 locations, Bangli Regency with 17 locations, Tabanan Regency with 17 locations, Klungkung Regency with 9 locations, Jembrana Regency with 5 locations, and Karangasem Regency with 4 locations. P3TGAI is a labour-intensive activity aimed at improving agricultural irrigation services through the rehabilitation, upgrading, and construction of irrigation networks in a participatory manner, involving farming communities as the main actors. Through this approach, the programme not only produces better infrastructure but also strengthens the capacity and institutional independence of farmers in managing irrigation networks. Dody said the activities carried out include the rehabilitation, upgrading, and construction of small irrigation networks with a service area of less than 150 hectares, tertiary irrigation networks, and village irrigation. The infrastructure built is expected to increase the reliability of irrigation water services, including during the dry season, thereby supporting increased agricultural production and farming efficiency. In Bali, Dody said, the implementation of P3TGAI is also designed to align with the subak system, which has become a local wisdom of the community in managing agricultural water resources. Support for more reliable and efficient irrigation networks is expected to strengthen the sustainability of the subak system while enhancing the agricultural sector’s ability to adapt to the challenges of climate change. Through the 2026 P3TGAI, the Ministry of Public Works is not only building irrigation infrastructure but also strengthening collaboration with communities to maintain food security from the village level. With improved irrigation networks and sustainable water management, Bali’s agricultural sector is expected to become more productive, resilient, and capable of supporting regional economic growth.