PRESS RELEASE
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM OF THE 10TH WORLD WATER FORUM
NO.150/SP/TKM-WORLDWATERFORUM2024/05/2024

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Bali Amazes Delegates During Field Trip Concluding 10th World Water Forum

The 10th World Water Forum series of events in Bali are concluded with a field trip to Subak Museum, Lake Batur, and the Jatiluwih Tourism Village attended by delegates and participants. These destinations may provide a relevant demonstration on how the Balinese people treat and manage water in their daily lives.

On Saturday (25 May), delegates were introduced to a collection of agricultural tools, from traditional to modern, along with their history, at the Mandala Manthika Museum (formerly known as the Subak Museum) in Tabanan Regency, Bali. These exhibits are meticulously arranged to provide insight into the management of subak which has continuously been evolving with the times without harming nature.

Yumiko Yasuda, a field trip participant from the Global Water Partnership of Sweden, said she was very inspired by the Subak irrigation system in Bali.

“I want to learn more about how the Balinese people do it, especially since it is related to culture and religion,” she said.
Mandalika Manthika is a type A specialized museum managed by the Cultural Affaiurs Office of Tabanan Regency. It was initiated and conceived by Governor of Bali from the 1978 to 1988 period, Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra. After being inaugurated in 1991, the museum was restored by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing in 2023 and completed in 2024, ahead of the 10th World Water Forum.

Ni Nyoman Mirahwati, a guide at Mandala Manthika, stated that the museum houses a variety of agricultural tools from different periods of human civilization. The exhibition layout is divided into three sections.

The first section displays various artifacts related to the history and development of irrigation in China, Japan, and Korea. The second section contains information about the irrigation systems of the Indonesian archipelago, including those from Sumatra, Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua, and Maluku. The third section specifically features various information and items related to the Subak irrigation system. This section showcases the pre-planting process, the planting period, and the rice harvesting process. Participants and delegates also watched a documentary video about Subak.

Majestic Mount Batur
Meanwhile, participants and delegates are also amazed by Lake Batur in Bangli Regency. The charm and beauty of nature blend perfectly with the cool air at the lake, which was formed from the eruption caldera of Mount Batur tens of thousands of years ago.

“The scenery here is breathtaking, and the air is so fresh,” said participant Dave Hebblethwaite from the Pacific Community Fiji, as he continued to capture Lake Batur on his smartphone camera while at the Kedisan Pier.
Dave admitted feeling a connection between Bali and Fiji because they are both situated along the volcanic belt in the Pacific region. “It means we are in the same volcanic belt. It seems like we are connected,” said Dave, who was visiting Indonesia for the first time.

Participant Emmanuel Korsah from Ghana, Africa, also expressed amazement. He felt comfortable during his stay in Bali because the climate is not much different from his country. According to him, Bali has many exciting places with the hospitality of the locals and cultural uniqueness that is hard to find elsewhere. Korsah, who works at Ghana Water Ltd., was very interested in exploring various places in Bali.

“I do not wish only to know the route from the hotel to the meeting place. I make it a habit to find out about the place and how its people live and take some photos, so it becomes a moment stored in my memory. Very nice,” said Korsah.
After visiting Lake Batur, the field trip participants visited Jati Segara Temple, Agromina Songan, Glagah Lingga Pine Forest, and Ubud Water Palace. They concluded their trip at the Ubud Art Market.

At Agromina Songan, participants interacted with local farmers of the Eka Tunas Merta Songan Farmer Group. Participants had the opportunity to try harvesting bok choy (Brassica rapa chinensis), a vegetable similar to Chinese cabbage from the Brassicaceae family. In this location, bok choy is grown using agricultural systems with limited water on the slopes of Mount Batur.
Meanwhile, participant Santosh from Nepal was amazed at the farmers' ability to remain productive despite water limitations.

Winnowing Rice in Jatiluwih
There were also participants and delegates who visited the Jatiluwih Tourist Village, where they directly participated in rice winnowing while also witnessing various orchids and cacti plants.

Before entering the area, dozens of local women, lined up on both sides of the road, greeted the participants. They welcomed the participants while performing the Metangi dance.

John K. Purna, the Manager of Jatiluwih Tourist Village, stated that the Metangi dance reflects a new spirit. The meaning of Metangi in both Balinese and Indonesian languages is “to wake up.” The welcoming dance is expected to inspire the people of Bali and the world to preserve water sustainability for life.

“All the dancers are residents of Jatiluwih. We want to present the best for the 10th World Water Forum’s field trip participants. All the residents and village officials are involved. We are delighted that the participants visited here,” he explained.

After being greeted with the dance, several participants seemed enthusiastic about trying to winnow rice with the local women villager. Occasionally, they laughed together, especially when some participants felt awkward and struggled to throw and catch the rice grains again while winnowing.

Winnowing is a method of cleaning grains such as rice, soybeans, etc. It involves placing several grains on a winnowing tray (similar to a round-shaped tray made of woven bamboo) and performing up-and-down movements to separate the good grains from the undesirable ones.

“Do not let the rice spill when tossing it around,” said one of the women from Jatiluwih, who was teaching a participant.
Participants were impressed during the journey through the terraced rice fields of Jatiluwih, where the local red rice variety Cendana is grown. They captured the view with their cameras while taking selfies. These terraced fields implement the Subak system, which involves 15 stages of traditional Balinese ceremonies for each planting season. The Subak Jatiluwih covers an area of 303 hectares, with an effective rice cultivation area of 227 hectares.

Wayan Mustra, the Pekaseh (key figure responsible for managing the water distribution) of Subak Jatiluwih, explained that this planting method has been passed down through generations for years. No residents dare to violate the stages of the ceremony, which have become rules (awig-awig) that the local community has implemented since ancient times.

To conclude the Tabanan field trip session, the participants enjoyed orchids and cacti at the Bali Botanic Garden in Bedugul. Upon arrival, they immediately enjoyed the colorful display of various orchids.

The cacti plants were equally captivating and caught the attention of the field trip participants. Various sizes and types of cacti were housed inside a greenhouse spanning an area of 500 square meters to protect them from humidity.

“Altogether, there are 225 plant species, including succulents and cacti, with the oldest being 50 years old. The most unique one is the Golden Bowl. The plants in this Orchid Garden come from Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Some plants are still unidentified and still under research,” explained Putu Edi Sutama, a Bali Botanic Garden staff member, to several participants while touring and observing the plants. (Ni Ketut Sudiani, Ni Komang Erviani, Ayu Sulistyowati/TR/Elvira Inda Sari/WW/PR)

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For further information, please contact:

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics – Usman Kansong (0816785320).

PCO of the 10th World Water Forum – Dede Ariwibowo – (08111830020)

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