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Bengkulu TPHP Announces Crop Planting Expansion
WINDONESIA June 11, 2024
A paddy field in Arah Tiga Village, Lubuk Pinang District, Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu. (ANTARA Bengkulu).
The Bengkulu Province Horticulture and Plantation Crops (TPHP) Office plans to expand the province's crop planting area by 15,842 hectares (ha) in 2024 to boost food production. This expansion includes 8,407 ha using the agricultural drainage system program and 7,435 ha for planting upland rice on dry land.
"That 15,842 ha is our total target for expanding the planting area in 2024," said Bengkulu TPHP Office Head Muhammad Rizon, stated on Jun. 3, 2024.
The initiative will also focus on optimizing currently unproductive land in Bengkulu. That includes improvements to the agricultural drainage system, which is essential for areas lacking water sources. Optimizing agricultural land water pumps could support land expansion programs and ensure stable food security in Bengkulu.
Rizon added that the crop planting expansion aligns with the Agriculture Ministry's program.
Currently, the TPHP Office is accelerating the Planting Area Expansion (PAT) program using three methods to prepare for the upcoming La Nina phenomenon, which is forecasted to occur from July to August 2024 the Bengkulu Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
The three methods are the optimization of rain-fed land management, the usage of dry land for upland rice planting, and the implementation of agricultural water pumping activities.
To implement the program, Rizon stated that they have coordinated with the BSIP Agricultural Instrument Standardization Agency and signed collaborations with the National Police and TNI. Additionally, the Bengkulu Province TPHP Service is preparing to provide extra food crop seeds to anticipate the effects of La Nina in 2024.
Source: bengkulu.antaranews.com