10,000 Hectares of Land Prepared for Food Estate in New Capital

TheIndonesia.id - East Kalimantan said it had prepared more than 10,000 hectares of land for the development of food estate as the province braces to welcome thousands of citizens who will move to new capital Nusantara.

Head of East Kalimantan food, crops, and horticulture office Siti Farisyah Yana said the land is located in three regencies: Paser (1,154 hectares), Kurtai Kartanegara (8,028 hectares), and North Penajam Paser (1,500 hectares).

“During the initial stage, the land prepared for food estate is about 10,000 hectares and will be expanded until it can meet food demand in East Kalimantan and new capital city,” Yana said on Wednesday, August 24, as reported by Antara.

Among other regions in the province that might also be the location of food estate development are East Kutai, West Kutai, and Berau.

Yana said East Kalimantan government first started preparing the land in 2019, and she said the government will provide assistance related to cropping pattern and post-harvest management.

The food, crops, and horticulture office continues to disseminate information about the project to local farmers and communities in an attempt to stop land conversion in the designated areas while looking for more potential locations.

Building an irrigation system is also part of the office’s focuses to help farmers, so they no longer depend on rain.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Agriculture said developing food estate industry is one of the priorities in Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara before relocation process begins in 2024.