RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesian government is accelerating plans to build a giant seawall along the North Coast (Pantura) of Java in response to the growing threat of rising sea levels, with protecting food crops a top priority.

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), emphasized that the project aims not only to safeguard industrial areas but also to maintain the sustainability of national food production.

“In addition to maintaining food production, the many industrial centers located in the Pantura area must also be protected from seawater intrusion,” Minister AHY said at the Kick‑Off Meeting of the Integrated Coastal Protection Infrastructure for Java’s Pantura in Jakarta on Monday, May 4, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Approximately 115,000 hectares of Java’s 1.5 million hectares of rice fields are affected. The government believes this situation must be addressed immediately through integrated measures, including embankments and agricultural modernization.

“We must prevent this. Investment in agricultural modernization must certainly include irrigation upgrades and make crop diversification more visible,” he added.

The Head of the North Java Coast Management Authority (BOPPJ), Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has requested an immediate master plan to protect Java’s northern coastline. Didit said his office is collaborating with ministries, institutions, universities, and experts to develop the plan.

President Prabowo previously stated that the giant seawall project would be part of a national strategic program. The project is designed to stretch along the Pantura region to protect about 50 million residents from the impacts of rising sea levels, which is estimated to increase by 5 centimeters per year.

The Pantura region poses risks not only to settlements but also to around 60 percent of the nation’s industry and productive agricultural land, the backbone of food security. The government views constructing seawalls as a crucial step to protect the public and safeguard strategic assets from the increasingly visible impacts of climate change.

President Prabowo stressed that this initiative reflects the state’s responsibility to protect its people and assets. ***