West Sumatra Farmers Rapidly Restore 88% of Flood-Damaged Rice Fields

In the Jorong Batu Palano area of Solok, West Sumatra, rice fields once buried under sand, mud, and debris from flash floods in late 2025 are now verdant again. Farmers have rapidly restored 1,323 hectares of paddy fields, achieving 88% of the rehabilitation target just months after the disaster. This swift recovery allows many farmers to begin harvesting their first crops since the floods.

The Solok region has demonstrated the fastest rice field rehabilitation progress in West Sumatra, according to data from the Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force (Satgas PRR). This rapid turnaround is attributed to strong coordination between the task force and local government, dedicated agricultural extension services, support from farmer groups, and the proactive initiative of residents determined to restore their livelihoods.

Kasatgas PRR Tito Karnavian emphasized the urgency of rehabilitating the fields to revive the local economy. "This is urgent, hence there is funding from ministries and agencies," he stated. "These lands must quickly become productive again so that the community can resume farming and the regional economy can move again."

For the community in Nagari Salayo, restoring the rice fields is more than just agricultural repair; it's a race against time to salvage the planting season. Melati, a 45-year-old farmer from the Sejuk dan Damai farmer group, shared her determination: "We didn't want the fields to be buried for too long. After the disaster, we immediately repaired them, even while looking for our own funds." Her group, comprising 27 farmers, has rehabilitated 35 hectares, with her own fields now ready for harvest just four months after rehabilitation began in January.