Jakarta, IO – Independent Observer recently visited Padi Apung, the floating rice farm at Waduk Elok or the Elok Reservoir, in Cakung, Jakarta. Several Waste Handling Unit (UPS) officers from the Jakarta Environmental Service appeared to plant the rice seeds into the planting media for a trial of floating rice farming.
The floating rice farm utilizes 650 used plastic cups as planting media containers, Styrofoam as the floating device, and floating cubes as water pathways and rice seed holders from goose attacks. For the trial, UPS officers used 2.5 kilograms of IR 42 rice seedlings in plastic bottles and planted the bottles in the Elok Reservoir.
According to the officers, the floating rice farm trial aims to enhance rice cultivation as part of the “city farming” or “urban farming” program, while repurposing used items, especially plastic cups and bottles. The floating farm also creates new ways of obtaining food sources. They acquired this knowledge from observing tutorials on social media, which they tried to apply at the Elok Reservoir.
Read: Rally To Reject WHO Pandemic Treaty
The Elok Reservoir serves as a tourist attraction for local residents, and is a site which people often enjoy for sports and picnics. Moreover, the Elok Reservoir plays a vital role in regulating water management in East Jakarta and meeting the water needs of the surrounding community.
(IO/Septo Kun Wijaya)