Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The government has launched a cash-for-work scheme to rehabilitate rice fields damaged by floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, aiming to safeguard national food production. 

The program pays farmers directly to restore their own land, while the central government covers seeds, land preparation, and irrigation costs.

“Through this scheme, farmers restore their fields while earning income during the recovery process,” Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said on Friday  (16/1/2026), as quoted by antaranews.com.

The policy applies to nearly 98,000 hectares affected by recent disasters, with priority given to lightly and moderately damaged fields. In Aceh alone, about 10,000 hectares are being rehabilitated, requiring an estimated 200,000 workdays. Recovery for light to moderate damage is targeted to be completed within three months.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)