RI to celebrate Food Day

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will inaugurate a dam in West Nusa Tenggara as a celebration of the fourteenth World Food Day on Oct. 16, says Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah.

Sjarifudin told reporters here yesterday that the new dam, called the Pengga Dam, is capable of holding about 27 million cubic meters of water for the irrigation of 3,585 hectares of rice fields.

"We expect that the new dam will enable farmers to have three harvests a year from just two currently," he said.

Sjarifudin also said that aside from launching the new dam, the government will also hold a three day exhibition on forest conversion and water supply on Oct. 11 at the Manggala Wanabakti building here. (hdj)