{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1795915,
        "msgid": "irrigation-key-to-facing-the-2026-dry-season-1781092251",
        "date": "2026-06-10 17:45:00",
        "title": "Irrigation Key to Facing the 2026 Dry Season",
        "author": "Cahya  Mulyana",
        "source": "MEDIA_INDONESIA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Agriculture",
        "summary": "A leading meteorologist from IPB University has stated that the 2026 dry season remains within normal boundaries for Indonesia, but ensuring functional reservoir and irrigation systems is critical for maintaining food production. While widespread heat is not forecast, regions without technical irrigation networks remain highly vulnerable to crop failure. The government is urged to prioritise water resource management and coordinate with major rice-producing provinces.",
        "content": "<p>Indonesia\u2019s success in maintaining food production during the 2026\ndry season will be heavily determined by the availability and smooth\noperation of irrigation systems. Professor of Geophysics and Meteorology\nat IPB University, Hidayat Pawitan, assesses that this year\u2019s dry season\nis not yet classified as extreme, but the government still needs to\nensure water supply for rice production centres is maintained. According\nto Hidayat, the 2026 dry season remains within normal limits for\nIndonesia. Relatively warm sea surface temperatures also mean rain is\nstill likely in many regions, so the threat to national food production\nis not yet too great. \u201cI think the 2026 dry season will not be extreme\nas once stated by the UN Secretary-General regarding a strong El Nino. I\nsee it as still within the normal dry season limits for the Indonesian\nregion, with a relatively warm sea surface so that rain still often\ncomes in many areas,\u201d Hidayat told Media Indonesia on Wednesday (10\/6).\nNonetheless, he warned that the risk of drought still lurks in areas\nthat are historically prone to drought and lack support from reservoirs\nor adequate technical irrigation networks. Such regions are more\nvulnerable to production disruptions or even crop failure when rainfall\ndecreases over a long period. Conversely, paddy fields that are\nconnected to technical irrigation systems are estimated to be able to\nmaintain productivity and even potentially increase yields during the\ndry season. \u201cFor regions that have irrigation support with a technical\npaddy field area of around 4.3 million hectares, the 2026 dry season\nactually has the potential for higher productivity. This usually covers\n10 of Indonesia\u2019s main rice-producing provinces,\u201d he said. Therefore,\nHidayat believes the government\u2019s primary focus should be directed at\nwater resource management, specifically ensuring reservoirs and\nirrigation networks function optimally during the dry season. According\nto him, farmers\u2019 ability to anticipate the impacts of drought is\nrelatively limited, so strong policy support and coordination from the\ncentral and regional governments are needed. \u201cWhat is important is the\ncommand from the Ministry of Agriculture to be more prepared with\npriority programmes to face dry conditions and to coordinate with\nregional governments in major rice-producing provinces, for example by\nensuring the smooth operation of irrigation from existing reservoirs,\u201d\nhe stressed. He added that success in maintaining water distribution to\nagricultural land will be the determining factor in sustaining national\nrice production amidst the early arrival of the dry season this year.\nWith adequate irrigation support, national food security is believed to\nbe maintainable although a number of regions face drought risks.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irrigation-key-to-facing-the-2026-dry-season-1781092251",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}