Bali's ancient Subak irrigation system threatened by development

Bali's centuries-old Subak traditional irrigation system faces an existential threat from villa and hotel development, which is encroaching on agricultural land. Professor Dr. Drs. I Nyoman Sunarta, M.Si., a tourism and environment scholar at Udayana University, emphasizes the system's importance for preserving Bali's agricultural heritage. He advocates for stricter spatial planning and zoning to control development and protect agricultural areas. Sunarta believes that while tourism development is inevitable, it should prioritize quality over quantity and enhance the well-being of local communities, who are custodians of Bali's culture and nature. The Subak system comprises three main elements: parahyangan Subak temple, pawongan Subak members like the Pekaseh or Head of a Subak, and palemahan Subak land. Raka Purwantara, Head of Denpasar's Culture Service, highlights challenges in urban areas, including land conversion and pressure to transform Subak zones into ecotourism sites. He notes difficulties in monitoring Subak land once it is sold and certified, as customary rules awig-awig or perarem only bind traditional village residents who own the land. Denpasar's Subak system now covers only 1,915 hectares. Purwantara advises urban farmers to adapt planting patterns to smaller land lots and polluted irrigation, suggesting horticulture for smaller plots instead of rice. He also notes that immigrant farmers are adopting these new patterns more readily than local Balinese farmers