Jepara Targets 88 Percent of 25,000 Hectares of Rice Fields to Become Protected Land
The Jepara Regency Government (Pemkab) has proposed increasing the area of Protected Rice Fields (Lahan Sawah Dilindungi/LSD) in Jepara to 88 percent of the total Existing Rice Field Area (Luas Baku Sawah/LBS).
Jepara Deputy Regent, Muhammad Ibnu Hajar, stated that based on the results of a coordination meeting with the Central Java Provincial Government regarding the control of rice field land conversion, Jepara is considered a safe area as it has already met the national target.
The national government’s target for LSD is 87 percent of total LBS.
“Jepara is already safe because its LSD area has met the target, exceeding 87 percent,” Hajar said when contacted by Betanews.id on Monday (8/6/2026).
However, as an effort to support the central government’s food security program, Hajar said the Jepara Regency Government is proposing to increase the LSD area beyond the national target.
The proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), but has not yet received approval.
“This year we proposed raising the target, but it has not yet been approved by the ministry,” Hajar revealed.
Separately, Head of the Jepara Regency Food Security and Agriculture Agency (DKPP), Mundhofir, said the total Existing Rice Field Area (LBS) in Jepara reaches 25,611 hectares.
From this area, the average yield is 5.7 tons per hectare in each planting season (MT).
Jepara has three planting seasons. In the first planting season, the land is dominated by rice. In the second planting season, rice still dominates but is interspersed with other crops such as legumes, corn, and fruit plants.
Meanwhile, in the third planting season, which usually occurs during the dry season, the land is mostly planted with secondary crops (palawija) due to reduced water availability.
“The existing rice field area in Jepara reaches 25,611 hectares. Two months ago, we proposed that the LSD in Jepara reach 88 percent, from the current level which is already more than 87 percent,” Mundhofir said.
If the proposal is approved, Mundhofir continued, it will serve as a reference for maintaining agricultural rice fields in Jepara.
According to him, various national strategic programs such as the Red and White Village/Kelurahan Cooperative (KDKMP) and the construction of 3 million subsidized houses require considerable amounts of land.
From observations, many KDKMP buildings have been erected on active rice fields that are still planted with rice.
“When rice fields are converted, it will certainly reduce the area available for planting. Therefore, there should be replacement land. If this proposal is later approved, we will maintain that area, both LSD and LP2B,” Mundhofir concluded.
