SEA water intrusion has begun to threaten agricultural areas in Cirebon Regency. Damming and pumping efforts have been carried out to prevent sea water from entering. Damming has been intensified to reduce the impact and intensity of the rising boundary between the groundwater level and the sea level towards the mainland.
““Because there is no water in the irrigation canals, sea water automatically comes in,” said Cadisa, a farmer from Suranenggala Village, Suranenggala District, Cirebon Regency, Sunday (25/8).
To prevent further seawater intrusion into agricultural areas, farmers immediately blocked the flow of seawater entering the rice fields through irrigation channels by damming them. Seawater that had already entered the irrigation channels was sucked out so that it would not enter agricultural land.
Farmers use two 2.5-inch water pumps at once to suck up seawater that has entered the irrigation channels. The sucked water is then discharged into the coastal estuary.
““We are making this effort to save the rice plants so they can survive,” said Cadisa.
If seawater enters the rice fields, it is feared that the rice plants will die. Cadisa explained that for almost two weeks the rice fields have not received any more water supply.
Also read: 300 Hectares of Paddy Fields in Tulungagung Potentially Fail to Harvest
“So our rice fields dried up and the soil cracked. “What goes into the irrigation canals is ultimately sea water,” said Cadisa.
Even though the rice plants are more than a month old, they have already spent quite a lot of money on planting costs.
Meanwhile, the Head of Economic and Social Affairs of Suranenggala Village, Astika, explained that sea water had entered the irrigation channel for the past two weeks due to the lack of fresh water in the irrigation channel.
““Seawater pumping from irrigation is carried out so that when the rice fields in our village get their turn, water from the Jatigede Reservoir does not mix with seawater which can cause the rice plants to die,” said Astika.
Furthermore, Astika hopes that the agricultural land in her village will get a turn of water once a week. Because so far the duration of the turn of water obtained can reach 11 to 12 days so that it has an impact on sea water entering agricultural irrigation. (Z-9)
#Seawater #Intrusion #Threatens #Agricultural #Areas #Cirebon
