Sidrap’s Agricultural Output Rises Thanks to PLN’s EA Programme

Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA) – The Sidrap Regency Government in South Sulawesi said agricultural production had increased thanks to PT PLN’s electrifying agriculture (EA) programme, which uses electricity to power water pumps and irrigate rice fields, particularly during the dry season.

One example of the programme’s implementation is in Takkalasi Village, Maritengngae District, Sidrap Regency.

“At the August 2026 harvest, productivity was recorded at about 10.4 tonnes per hectare, up from around seven tonnes per hectare in the previous planting season,” Sidrap Head of Food Crops, Horticulture, Plantations and Food Security Ibrahim said in a statement issued in Makassar on Monday.

Around 395 hectares of farmland in the village are managed by 13 farmers’ groups, he said. Previously, farmers relied on water from the Takkalasi Weir, which can dry up during prolonged droughts.

To address water shortages, 39 bore wells have been available since 2025. The water sources are used alongside the programme to bring electricity to rice fields, powering pumps for agricultural irrigation.

“These efforts have also gone hand in hand with increased agricultural productivity in the area,” he added.

The increase has been supported by a number of measures, including optimising land use, providing seeds and water sources, and using electricity for irrigation.

Ibrahim said access to electricity gave farmers an alternative way to operate water pumps without relying entirely on fuel.

Developing the EA programme requires coordination among PLN, local government, farmers’ groups, businesses and other stakeholders to ensure electricity use meets needs on the ground, including the provision of adequate power infrastructure.

Didik Wicaksono, general manager of PLN’s South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and West Sulawesi distribution unit, said electrification in agriculture was aimed not only at increasing customer numbers and connected capacity, but also at creating added value for farmers and businesses through more efficient production.

“PLN is also encouraging the use of electricity for a range of agricultural business needs, from irrigation pumps and water systems to lighting, ventilation and supporting livestock equipment,” he said.

The use of this technology is expected to help businesses carry out production more practically and with modern methods.