Revised RTRW Strengthen Rules on Rice Land Conversion

The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (“ ATR/BPN ”) has tightened the regulations governing the conversion of rice field land. Under this policy, rice fields are prohibited from being converted into industrial or residential areas until regional governments have completed the revision of their Regional Spatial Plans (“ RTRW ”).

“This means that all rice field land may not be converted until regional governments designate Sustainable Food Agricultural Land (Lahan Pertanian Pangan Berkelanjutan- “ LP2B ”) in accordance with the applicable prvisions,” stated the Minister of ATR/Head of BPN, Nusron Wahid.

Regional governments are targeted to complete the revision of RTRW within a six-month period. Under the revision, regional governments are required to designate at least 87% of the Existing Rice Field Land (Lahan Baku Sawah- “ LBS ”) as LP2B.

Furthermore, Nusron emphasized that if a regional government has not yet revised its RTRW to regulate the conversion of rice fields, all LBS will be treated as LP2B. “If LP2B is not adequately stipulated in the RTRW, land-use conversion will occur very easily, as development is guided by spatial planning,” he stated.