PU Ministry Accelerates Merauke Infrastructure Development to Lower Farmer Production Costs

The Ministry of Public Works (PU) is accelerating infrastructure development in the National Food, Energy, and Water Self-Sufficiency Area (KSPEAN) centred in Wanam, Merauke Regency, South Papua. Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo asserted that the development must be able to reduce farmers’ production costs so that their incomes increase. Dody said infrastructure development should not add to the cost burden borne by farmers. According to him, all infrastructure built must support increased productivity as well as farmer welfare. “There should be no additional costs for farmers. Farmers’ costs must be as low as possible. Farmers’ profits must be as high as possible. So that farmers’ lives become more decent, better,” said Dody. To support the development of agricultural areas, the Ministry of PU continues to build irrigation networks, flood control infrastructure, and roads connecting production areas. As of now, the Directorate General of Water Resources has continued construction of primary irrigation canals spanning 44 kilometres out of a target of 135.4 kilometres in the Merauke Food Production Centre (KSPP) area. Meanwhile, the construction of secondary irrigation canals has reached 16.31 kilometres out of a target of 61.6 kilometres. In the 1,200-hectare agricultural demonstration plot (demplot) area, the construction of irrigation networks is also ongoing with progress reaching 88 percent, or 20.45 kilometres of the total planned 24.2 kilometres. In addition to irrigation, the Ministry of PU is accelerating the construction of flood control infrastructure to maintain the sustainability of the agricultural area. To date, the construction progress for Package I has reached 39.02 percent, while Package II has reached 36.65 percent. In the connectivity sector, the Directorate General of Highways is building the KSPP Wanam road to facilitate logistics distribution and reduce agricultural product transport costs. The construction of the KSPP Wanam-Muting Road Segment I has reached 3.59 percent progress, exceeding the target of 1.30 percent. Although construction is still underway, a 58-kilometre stretch of the road is already functional. Meanwhile, the construction of the KSPP Wanam-Muting Road Segment II has reached 10.05 percent progress. Out of the targeted 80 kilometres, approximately 50 kilometres of the road trace have been opened as part of the acceleration of regional connectivity.