Rice Cultivation of Superior Variety in Swamps to Increase Food Security in Indonesia

Abstract

The island of Java is Indonesia’s largest rice production. However, the conversion of land into industrial areas and construction projects has contributed to the decline of rice production on the island. Therefore, it is necessary for the country to expand its agricultural site outside of Java island through the utilization of swampland. Indonesia has large areas of swampland, which have not made the most of it. The swampland farmers have never grown high quality of rice. Thus, the selection of high-quality rice is considered to increase rice production in the swampland. This article aims to discuss the rice cultivation of superior variety in the swamp to improve national food security. The result of this research showed that local farmers in the swamp area rarely adopt high-quality rice. In fact, local rice variety has low productivity and longer lifespan. Therefore, the use of the superior quality of rice is expected to boost rice production. Nevertheless, the Government of Indonesia has developed numbers of high-quality rice such as Inpara and Inpari, which are more adaptive in the swampland. The Inpara is more resistant to standing water for tidal swamps, while the Inpari is more suitable in lebak swamps (most of the year inundation). The use of Inpara and Inpari in swampland can increase rice production. The implications of rice cultivation of superior varieties increased productivity and crop index due to shorter rice life, resistance to pest and disease attacks, and tolerance of marginal environmental conditions. The use of superior variety can increase rice production, thus support food security in Indonesia.