Ainur Rohmah, Semarang – Farmers and activists in Central Java are expressing concern over what they claim is rampant conversion of agricultural fields.

They argue that the practice is not only threatening food security but are also potentially creating conflicts.

The Semarang Legal Aid Institute (LBH) reported that the practices had triggered conflicts in Batang regency, Semarang municipality, Semarang regency and Kudus regency this year.

"The conversions have been done mostly for two reasons: in the name of development and for the sake of investors," the operational head of LBH Semarang, Andiyono, told The Jakarta Post in Semarang on Tuesday.

He said the majority of conflicts originating from land conversions could be attributed to a lack of communication between investors, local administrations and the affected communities.

"A lack of analysis of environmental impacts has worsened the condition as conversions have caused environmental damage," he said.

Separately, the Association of Prosperous Indonesian Farmers and Fishermen (PPNSI) has been urging the Central Java provincial administration to stop its planned conversion of 300,000 hectares of agricultural fields for non-agricultural purposes.

"It must be stopped right away. Otherwise, it will threaten the province's existence as a national food production center," PPNSI secretary-general Riyono said.

Riyono blamed the governor of Central Java for not being firm with regents and mayors who issued conversion permits.

According to the PPNSI, uncontrolled conversions of agricultural fields have been rife since 2006, occurring at a rate of between 2,300 and 2,500 hectares of agricultural land a year.

The figure is equal to 0.23 to 0.25 percent of the critical irrigation fields in the province, amounting to 996,000 hectares.

A survey, Riyono said, showed that 40.5 percent of the land used for industrial activities in the province were formerly agricultural fields and another 47 percent used to be horticultural fields.

He suggested the Central Java Legislative Council enact a bylaw that would ensure the agricultural use of designated fields. Drafted in 2005, the planned bylaw is expected to help control agricultural field conversions.

"A slack of regulation has made agricultural fields easier to convert. If nothing is done I am afraid that within the next 10 years all of the fertile lands will disappear from the province," Riyono said.

Protests and demands for transparency have also come from farmers.

Dozens of farmers from Kudus regency went to the Central Java Information Commission on Monday, demanding transparency in the acquisition of land allocated for the construction a local reservoir.

"The people have been rarely involved in the acquisition process. Deliberation with the locals has been denied," one of the protesters, Harjono, said.

Last month, hundreds of farmers from Batang regency staged a rally in the provincial capital demanding transparency on plans to convert their agricultural fields to a steam-fueled power plant site.

Andiyono of LBH Semarang said that conflicts that emerged due to lack of government transparency could be settled through a non-litigation mechanism, such as through mediation facilitated by the information commission.

"If both parties agree to settle the dispute, there should be a mediator considered as neutral enough to mediate the case," he said.