Jokowi Visited South Sulawesi to Inspect Water Pump Program in Bone

Sulawesi – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), accompanied by First Lady Iriana Jokowi, conducted a first-hand inspection of the installation of 300 water pumps provided by the government to irrigate rice fields in Bone District, South Sulawesi, on Thursday (July 4).

The president's visit is a manifestation of the government's commitment to boosting food resilience and elevating the farmers' living standards by enhancing irrigation systems in drought-prone regions, according to a statement from the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta.

On the occasion, the head of state had the opportunity to interact with farmers working on their rice fields.

Isal, a farmer, underscored the dire need for adequate water supply to irrigate his rice field that sits on a highland.

"Since this rice field is located on a highland, we are relying on the rain for irrigation. However, the rain frequency is currently low," he highlighted.

Then, he praised the government for providing water pumps, which he found useful.

"(Owing to the pumps), the farming activities have gone better,"

Another farmer, Andi Mus Mulyadi, said the water pumps had been helping farmers irrigate their fields during the dry season.

Moreover, Mulyadi stated that he and fellow farmers can now plant rice thrice a year due to the installation of water pumps.

"Without the pumps, we could only plant once a year," he remarked, noting that the rice output can increase by nearly a ton.

He also lauded the head of state for personally checking on the condition of the farmers.

As information, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, South Sulawesi Acting Governor Zudan Arif Fakhrulloh, and Bone Acting District Head Andi Islamuddin accompanied President Jokowi during the agenda.