The Food Crops and Livestock Service (Distanak) of Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) noted that East Kolaka Regency became the region with the largest area of new paddy fields in 2025. New rice fields are to support food sovereignty and realize the world's food barn, especially to increase local food production by optimizing existing land. Head of Distanak Sultra, LM Rusdin Jaya said that the new rice fields that will be opened in 2025 are 5,726 hectares. He said that this plan will be realized through an extensification program to realize food self-sufficiency, especially rice in the Sultra region. This program is a program of the central and regional governments in realizing food self-sufficiency, especially rice commodities in Sultra.
Rusdin expressed that in the future, the opening of rice fields will be divided into a number of regencies and cities in Sultra that meet the qualifications for rice fields. From the total of 5,726 hectares, based on existing data, East Kolaka is the area in Southeast Sulawesi with the largest opening of new rice fields. In addition, in order to support the program, Distanak will prepare seeds, fertilizers, irrigation channels and agricultural equipment to help make this program a success. Rusdin hopes that the opening of this new land in the future will increase production, especially rice in this area.
