Ministry of Public Works Strengthens Irrigation and Water Supply for National Food Security

Jakarta - Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo stated that his ministry is strengthening anticipatory measures against the potential El Niño phenomenon by reinforcing irrigation systems and securing water availability to support national food security. He noted that the impact of El Niño not only risks causing drought on agricultural land but can also affect water availability for the public through the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) and reduce water reserves in several dams. “I request that in addition to deep groundwater drilling, specifically for water intended for irrigating rice fields and plantations, the construction of tertiary irrigation networks must also be carried out,” Dody said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. These efforts are being implemented through deep groundwater drilling, the construction of tertiary irrigation networks, and the establishment of a cross-unit task force to ensure integrated handling. Mitigation efforts have actually been underway since the beginning of the year. Through the Directorate General of Water Resources, the Ministry of Public Works has carried out a deep groundwater drilling programme in several regions prone to drought. “Actually, early anticipation has been carried out by our Water Resources colleagues. From the beginning of the year, they have implemented a deep drilling programme at several points that we have identified as drought spots across Indonesia,” he said. One of the priority areas is Gunungkidul Regency in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, along with other regions such as East Nusa Tenggara, which frequently experience water crises during the dry season. In addition to increasing water source availability, Minister Dody stressed the importance of building tertiary irrigation networks so that water distribution to agricultural land can be more effective and efficient. This strengthening of irrigation infrastructure is in line with the implementation of Presidential Instruction Number 2 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of Development, Improvement, Rehabilitation, and Operation and Maintenance of Irrigation Networks to Support Food Self-Sufficiency. Through this policy, the Ministry of Public Works, together with local governments, continues to ensure that irrigation networks function optimally to maintain national agricultural productivity. To optimise the implementation of the Presidential Instruction, the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Agriculture have agreed to carry out data collection and irrigation network development simultaneously. This synergy is expected to result in more precise planning so that irrigation programmes in 2026 and subsequent years can be executed earlier, be better targeted, and be based on more accurate data. “We have agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture that we will execute the Irrigation Presidential Instruction concurrently with mapping regional irrigation systems. Then, in 2026 and beyond, we can work earlier and more precisely. But the function remains the same: how to achieve food self-sufficiency,” Minister Dody emphasised.