Antara, Jakarta – The Ministry of Public Works and Housing or PUPR Ministry completed 42 dams from 2015 to 2023 out of 61 dam projects targeted by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi as part of national food and water security development.
"To date, we have completed 42 of 61 dams targeted by the government," said PUPR Ministry Spokesperson Endra S. Atmawidjaja in Jakarta on Wednesday.
In 2023, six dams completed development, namely the Cipanas Dam (West Java), Sepaku Semoi (East Kalimantan), Tiu Suntuk (NTB), Karian (Banten), Ameroro (Southeast Sulawesi), and Lolak in Bolaang Mongondow Regency, North Sulawesi, recently inaugurated by the president on Feb. 23.
"Currently, we are trying as hard as we can to complete the remaining 19 dams by the end of 2024 or at least early 2025," he said.
Director of Dams and Lakes at the Directorate General of Water Resources, PUPR Ministry, Adenan Rasyid, said that the completion of the 42 dams could irrigate 283,203 hectares of rice fields, or four times the area of Jakarta. Meanwhile, rice productivity has increased to 4-5 million tons annually and provides additional raw water for 10 million citizens.
"Completing 61 dams by 2024, will increase the cropping index from 125 percent to 209 percent. Irrigation water services will increase from 229 existing dams of 10.6 percent irrigated rice fields (761 thousand hectares) in 2015 to 18.11 percent (1.2 million hectares) by 2024," said Adenan.
Apart from water and food security, Adenan said that 43 dams also have the potential to produce 255.2 MW (megawatts) of electricity, including the Way Sekampung Dam (5.40 MW), Jatigede (110 MW) and Leuwikeris (20 MW).