Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2014 The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics\nAgency (BMKG) has emphasised the importance of adjusting planting\npatterns in regions affected by El Nino to prevent the risk of harvest\nfailure caused by reduced rainfall during the dry season.<\/p>\n
BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani said the areas requiring particular\nattention are those south of the equator, which face a more significant\nrisk of El Nino impacts, such as East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West Nusa\nTenggara (NTB), Bali, Java, southern Sumatra, and southern Papua.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere, we must indeed adjust when to begin the planting period.\nWhether it should be brought forward so that as harvest approaches and\nthe dry season sets in, it does not affect the yield,\u201d said Teuku after\nattending the National Dialogue on the Impacts of El Nino in Jakarta on\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
According to him, adjusting planting times is necessary because drier\nand longer dry-season conditions could disrupt agricultural\nproductivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we fear is that harvest failure occurs, or that people become\nreluctant to plant because they are facing this El Nino,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beyond regulating planting times, BMKG is also encouraging the use of\ncrop varieties suited to drier conditions during the El Nino period.<\/p>\n
Teuku said BMKG continues to provide guidance to agriculture offices\nand farmers through the Climate Field School to improve understanding of\nfarming strategies that adapt to weather and climate conditions.<\/p>\n
He said BMKG also involves field agricultural extension officers in\nthese activities as part of efforts to strengthen the food sector\u2019s\npreparedness in the face of changing climatic conditions.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Teuku said the impact of El Nino will not be uniform\nacross Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to him, although El Nino has now entered a strong phase and\nhas the potential to become very strong, its influence still depends on\natmospheric dynamics and sea surface temperature conditions in\nIndonesian waters.<\/p>\n
Deputy for Weather Modification at BMKG, Tri Handoko Seto, said the\nreduction in rainfall caused by El Nino could also affect the water\nsupply flowing into reservoirs used for agriculture, raw water, and\nhydropower plants (PLTA).<\/p>\n
To anticipate such conditions, Tri said BMKG, together with relevant\nstakeholders, is conducting weather modification operations to increase\nwater supplies to several reservoirs.<\/p>\n
He added that weather modification operations are also being carried\nout as part of efforts to mitigate forest and land fires by maintaining\nthe moisture of peatland areas so they are less prone to burning.<\/p>\n
BMKG stated that El Nino, which became active in June 2026, has\nentered a strong phase and still has the potential to intensify into a\nvery strong one. However, this does not mean Indonesia will experience a\ndry season throughout the entire El Nino period.<\/p>\n
Rainfall between August and September 2026 is forecast to fall within\nthe low to very low category, increasing the risk of drought in a number\nof regions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the rainy season is expected to begin in mid-October 2026,\nso El Nino\u2019s influence on rainfall patterns in Indonesia is expected to\ndiminish.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bmkg-urges-planting-schedule-adjustments-to-prevent-crop-failure-amid-el-nino-1785830095", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }