Out of 191,774 hectares of rice fields in Jambi province, about 75,000 hectares have been converted for other purposes, including palm oil and rubber plantations, over the last three to five years.
Data at Setara Foundation, which provides advocation to farmers, discloses that the fast rate of conversion was recorded in three of the 10 regencies in Jambi.
According to the data, the fastest rate of conversion took place in East Tanjung Jabung regency, Jambi's rice production center, with conversion coverage reaching 15,000 hectares.
Moreover out of about 92,000 hectares of agriculture areas developed under the transmigration program, 60,000 hectares have also been converted into palm oil plantations, kompas.com news portal reported.
Yanuar Fitri, head of the Jambi University's environment study center, reminded that the fast rate of conversion was feared to threaten the province's food security amid the rising number of population.
If the trend is not curbed, Jambi is feared to buy rice from other provinces, Yanuar said.
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