ADB helps Indonesia strengthen food security with 600 million USD loan
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan worth 600 million USD for Indonesia’s irrigation improvement programme to enhance food security and reduce poverty in rural areas.
Jakarta (VNA) – The AsianDevelopment Bank (ADB) has approved a loan worth 600 million USD for Indonesia’sirrigation improvement programme to enhance food security and reduce poverty inrural areas.
The loan will be used to improveirrigation system operation, maintenance and water delivery to farmers in 74districts across the country.
Eric Quincieu, a water resourcesspecialist of ADB, said the programme aims to improve incomes and livelihoodsof rural communities, while helping Indonesia develop a sustainable and moreproductive agriculture by improving water delivery to local farms.
Despite progress in agriculturalproduction, Indonesia has been experiencing rising imports, high domestic foodprices and sporadic food deficiency.
According to the Ministry ofPublic Works and Housing, by 2014, only 55 percent of the nation’s irrigationsystems functioned at full capacity, which limited yields and reduced cropping intensity.
Meanwhile, climate change hascaused drought and water shortage for agricultural cultivation in many areas, exacerbatingthe country’s efforts to increase food production.
To ensure sustainability, a partof the ADB loan will be spent on irrigation infrastructure planning, budgeting,technology introduction and climate change resilience measures to improveirrigation supply, including water management.-VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: adb.org)
