Nabire Prepares New Rice Fields as Settlements Encroach on Farmland

The Nabire Regency administration in Central Papua is preparing new paddy field areas as a measure to anticipate the reduction of agricultural land due to the expansion of residential areas since Nabire became the provincial capital. Nabire Regent Mesak Magai stated on Wednesday that the government is directing the development of new rice production centres to the Topo, Lagari, and Yaro districts, which are considered to still have substantial land potential. “The existing paddy fields are increasingly squeezed by residential development, so we must prepare new production centres,” he said. He explained that agricultural areas in Wanggar and West Nabire are gradually undergoing land-use changes in line with increasing development and economic activity. Consequently, the local government has begun identifying potential land while preparing agricultural infrastructure support, such as irrigation networks, farm roads, and other supporting facilities. According to him, the expansion of paddy field areas is part of a strategy to maintain the sustainability of local rice production and strengthen regional food security. He added that the development of new centres is also expected to boost farmers’ incomes and guarantee the rice supply for the community amidst rising food demand. The Nabire Regency Government is targeting the phased construction of new agricultural areas with support from the provincial and central governments to ensure local rice production continues to increase. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the area of active paddy fields in Nabire Regency fell from 2,094.20 hectares in 2023 to 1,431.79 hectares in 2024, and further shrank to 999.22 hectares in 2025. This decline is influenced by various factors, including the conversion of agricultural land into residential areas and a reduction in arable land due to damaged irrigation networks and a shortage of agricultural labour. In West Nabire District, for example, the rice harvest area once reached 975 hectares in 2007 but shrank to around 326 hectares in 2009 as some farmers switched to other commodities and sold their land.