Indonesian Army Builds Irrigation Facilities to Support Agricultural Land

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) is building and expanding irrigation facilities to support more than 100 thousand hectares of agricultural land in various regions of Indonesia. The program aims to transform land that previously relied on rainfall into land that can produce up to three harvests a year.

The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army, General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak, stated that thru the Manunggal Air program, the Indonesian Army has built agricultural irrigation facilities at 1,703 points. This infrastructure has supported the irrigation of rain-fed land covering 83,150 hectares.

According to Maruli, the lands previously did not have adequate water availability, which limited their harvest patterns. With the irrigation facilities, these lands now have the potential to increase the frequency and productivity of their harvests.

"For agricultural water, we have already provided for 83,150 hectares that were previously rain-fed, now they can harvest three times," Maruli said in his statement in Jakarta, Thursday, August 13, 2026.

The development of irrigation facilities is still being expanded. The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) is currently working on agricultural water facilities at 445 points, which are targeted to irrigate approximately 16,970 hectares of agricultural land. With this addition, the total land receiving irrigation support this year reaches around 100,120 hectares.

Maruli said that the increased access to water is expected to also boost national rice production. From the agricultural land that receives irrigation support, rice production is projected to reach around 1.5 million tons per year.

"The rain-fed areas of 100,120 hectares can yield three harvests. Hopefully, the rice can reach 1.5 million tons per year," he added.

In addition to supporting the agricultural sector, the Indonesian Army (TNI AD) is also building a piping network to meet the water needs of communities in areas that have difficulty accessing water sources. One of the longest piping networks currently under construction is located on Bawean Island, East Java, with a length of 15 kilometers.