Mega Rice Project, Rice production program in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The Mega Rice Project is a large agricultural initiative in Central Kalimantan that converted peat swamp forests into rice cultivation areas. Over 1 million hectares of wetland forest were developed using approximately 4,000 kilometers of irrigation channels.
The Indonesian government launched this initiative in 1996 to address food shortages by converting peatland into agricultural fields. It represented one of the largest land conversion efforts attempted in Southeast Asia at that time.
The project disrupted how indigenous communities had managed their lands for generations using traditional methods suited to wetland environments. Modern large-scale farming practices replaced knowledge systems developed over centuries.
The site is remote and challenging to visit due to its isolated location in a wet tropical region with limited infrastructure. Travelers should be prepared for poor road conditions, frequent rainfall, and sparse facilities throughout the area.
Converting peat forest to farmland triggered an unexpected chemical process: exposed pyrite-rich soils began to oxidize and release sulfuric acid. This acidification of water severely reduced fish populations and affected local fisheries.
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