Indonesia to convert 1.4 million ha of peatlands into rice fields to address food shortages
The Indonesian Government is pushing ahead with a plan to convert 1.4 million ha of peat swamps into rice fields as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to create food shortages across the country, according to Coordinating Minister of Economy Airlangga Hartarto.
The Indonesian Government is pushing ahead with a plan to convert 1.4 million ha of peat swamps into rice fields (Photo: Reuters)
Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Government is pushing ahead with a plan to convert1.4 million ha of peat swamps into rice fields as the COVID-19 pandemicthreatens to create food shortages across the country, according toCoordinating Minister of Economy Airlangga Hartarto.
The countryis feeling the brunt of a food crisis as the coronavirus outbreak has severelydisrupted domestic cultivation and food supplies.
The Governmentis set to expand rice farming areas through a peatland-to-ricefield project inKalimantan. The initial goal of establishing about 900,000 ha of rice fields inthe peatlands has been raised to 1.4 million ha, Hartarto said.
It iscarefully looking into the plan, since only 90,000 out of the 1.4-million-ha peatlandhave irrigation systems. Most peatlands suitable for converting into ricefields are located in the districts of Pulang Pisau, Kapuas, and South Baritoon Kalimantan.
Agriculturalrestructuring is among the national programmes prioritised by President JokoWidodo to bridge development gaps and improve living standards./.
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The Indonesian Government is pushing ahead with a plan to convert 1.4 million ha of peat swamps into rice fields (Photo: Reuters) 
