The five dams are Meninting Dam in West Nusa Tenggara, Keureuto Dam and Rukoh Dam in Aceh, Jlantah Dam in Central Java, and Sidan Dam in Bali.
“The agriculture minister reported that these five dams, supported by technology and superior seed varieties, could produce an additional 1 million tons of rice,” Prabowo said during the inauguration of the dams in Meninting Dam, West Nusa Tenggara Province on Friday.
The dams are part of a national strategic project worth Rp9.79 trillion (around US$540.8 million), with construction having begun under previous administrations.
Prabowo also announced plans to build more dams after generated budget savings in several sectors, including through the implementation of the B50 biodiesel program launched on Thursday.
“These five dams cost Rp9.79 trillion. Through B50, we will save Rp170 trillion. Just imagine how many more dams we could build every year,” Prabowo said.
He urged local communities to protect and maintain Meninting Dam, describing it as a state investment aimed at improving the welfare and prosperity of nearby residents.
He said the same message also applied to communities surrounding the other four dams.
“Take good care of these dams, manage them professionally, and maintain them properly. Make sure the water needed by farmers reaches them. Farmers are food producers. Without food, there is no nation,” the President said.
Meninting Dam, the site of Friday’s inauguration ceremony, is located in Bukit Tinggi Village, Gunung Sari District, and Dasan Geria Village, Lingsar District, West Lombok. Construction began in 2019 and was completed in 2025.
The dam has a storage capacity of 13.14 million cubic meters and a reservoir covering approximately 54 hectares.
It is designed to provide irrigation, water storage and reserves, flood control, as well as generate renewable energy through a micro-hydropower plant (MHP) and a solar power plant (SPP).
The Meninting Dam complex is equipped with a spillway to prevent overflow, an intake structure, and inspection roads to support operations and maintenance.
Related news: President says B50 biofuel and dams boost national self-reliance
Translator: Genta Tenri, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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