Re-examining the Potential of Subak Catur Angga

Subak Catur Angga, one of the World Cultural Heritage (WCH) according to UNESCO, has been known as a local rice producer in Bali. Local knowledge that is still believed, environmental and climatic conditions make local rice still exist today. "I have felt, for maintenance between local and superior rice [GMO], it is easier for local ones," said Wayan Watera, Pekaseh Subak Keloncing.

Besides being easy to grow, the advantages of local rice can also be replanted. The seeds developed by most communities are open-pollinated seeds that can be stored and reused for further planting.

Dewa Wira introduce mapping expert team and an updated map of Subak Catur Angga (Photo: Eka Dharma)

The abundance of local rice is one potential for much other wealth. Its beautiful natural scenery also attracts many tourists to visit. The landscape, combined with terraces, hills, rivers, and mountains, has become the center of attention in this 1,890.06 hectares area. Even a visit to Subak Catur Angga, especially Jatiluwih, is the primary recommendation.

Pekaseh in Subak Catur Angga are also aware of the many hidden potentials in their area. Therefore, starting from a meeting of the Subak Catur Angga Pokja (Working Group), the Pekaseh made a plan to map the potential in the area, which was facilitated by IDEP in collaboration with Ganesha Education University (Undiksha).

Farmers fill out registration before the socialization (Photo: Eka Dharma)

Exploring the Potential of Subak Catur Angga through Mapping

The mapping had been carried out previously when Subak Catur Angga was designated as WCH in 2012. Then IDEP contemporized it again in 2021, and now these maps will be equipped with a wider potential study. "Basically, the map already exists, but later it will be developed to map the potential that exists in Catur Angga area," said Dewa Wira, Program Manager for Healthy & Environmentally Friendly Agriculture at Subak Catur Angga.

The abundance of natural and social potential in Catur Angga has been the reason for the Undiksha Mapping Expert Team to do the mapping. The socialization was also carried out on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at the Rejasa Village Hall, Tabanan. "Indonesia is proud to have cultural heritage from UNESCO, that Subak Catur Angga has potential other than agriculture, which may be related to tourism or other things," said A. Sediyo Adi Nugraha, S.Si., M.Sc, head of the Mapping Expert Team.

Participants listen to the mapping socialization (Photo: Eka Dharma)

As the largest subak area in Bali, Catur Angga Subak has been included in the Sustainable Food Agricultural Land Mapping (LP2B), so it is necessary to know the applicable regulations. "Subak Catur Angga is included in LP2B, so we need to know how much land is part of it, especially land with rice," said the Lecturer of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences.

The Beginning of Subak Catur Angga Potential Discovery

Knowing there is a lot of uncharted potential, Dewa Wira, who has been assisting farmers in Catur Angga since 2021, agreed that mapping efforts are essential in the future. For this reason, "potential mapping will later cover types of rice varieties to other potentials related to subak such as beji (water sources), temples, and other diversity," said Dewa Wira.

The mapping activity will begin in early September with a field identification process from an expert team, then an interview process. This process was conducted by six experts from the Geography Department and the Industrial Technology Department, Ganesha University of Education. "We will also conduct an economic analysis of the [harvest] results based on the Catur Angga area related to the commodities planted," explained Adi Nugraha.

Adi Nugraha explained about the mapping plan from the Undiksha expert team (Photo: Eka Dharma)

In the mapping process of Subak Catur Angga, the expert team and IDEP will need assistance from the respective subak heads and farmers. Several aspects are required, such as information on data and conditions in the subak area. "From this mapping, we hope that Subak Catur Angga will become part of the paddy fields that must be protected," concluded Adi Nugraha. (Gd)