The Ministry of Agriculture Accelerates Rehabilitation of Tertiary Irrigation to Strengthen Food Production

Jakarta – The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) is accelerating the rehabilitation and maintenance of tertiary irrigation channels as a strategic move to secure national food production in the first quarter of 2026. ‘This acceleration is being made to optimise water management amid high rainfall and to strengthen preparedness for the next planting season,’ said Hermanto, Director-General of Agricultural Lands and Irrigation (LIP) at the Ministry of Agriculture, in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. He noted that tertiary channels are the frontline in distributing water to farmers’ plots. During heavy rains, channels that are not maintained due to sedimentation and damage to dividing structures often trigger uneven waterlogging and the risk of crop failure. ‘Therefore, we are identifying channel conditions, normalising them through sediment dredging and embankment reinforcement, and repairing sluice gates so that discharge can be controlled and water distributed evenly,’ Hermanto said. He added that the integration of irrigation and drainage makes the system more water-efficient, climate-resilient, and cost-effective. Furthermore, he stated that under Presidential Instruction Number 2 of 2025, the Ministry is tasked with proposing the rehabilitation of tertiary irrigation in central-government-controlled irrigation areas with an area exceeding 3,000 hectares, as well as facilitating network maintenance through strengthening the Perkumpulan Petani Pemakai Air (P3A). Coordination with the Ministry of Public Works is also being strengthened to ensure that primary and secondary irrigation systems function optimally.