1,354 Hectares of Rice Fields in Bekasi Regency Threatened by Drought
The Bekasi Regency government is working hard to prevent a decline in agricultural production due to the threat of drought affecting 1,354 hectares of productive rice fields. The threatened land is spread across 41 villages and 15 sub-districts in Bekasi Regency.
Head of the Bekasi Regency Agriculture Office, Abdillah Majid, said the condition was triggered by a drop in irrigation water flow. He said the situation could disrupt the target of expanding planting areas instructed by the Ministry of Agriculture if it is not addressed quickly.
“There is potential for a decline in production there. In fact, the Ministry of Agriculture requires us to expand the planting area. If the additional planting area is increased, it comes back to the water conditions,” Abdillah said in a statement on Thursday (20/8/2026).
As a mitigation measure, the Agriculture Office has distributed 13 six-inch water pumps and 70 three-inch pumps. The assistance is focused on vulnerable areas such as Pebayuran, Cabangbungin, Kedungwaringin, Tambelang, Sukawangi, Setu, and Muaragembong sub-districts to draw water from large rivers and secondary channels.
In addition to pumping, the regional government is working with the Ciliwung-Cisadane River Basin Agency (BBWS) to normalise irrigation networks. The project covers the 7 km Balong Tuatu flow, the 10 km SS Jagawana flow, and the 5.5 km Kali Butek flow to smooth water supply to critical land.
Head of the Food Crops Division at the Bekasi Regency Agriculture Office, Eem Embang, added that the office is also helping farmers obtain subsidised fuel recommendations for operating water pumps. The measure was taken because farmers often struggle to obtain diesel amid the water emergency.
The massive effort is aimed at maintaining Bekasi Regency’s food production target of 503,000 tonnes of dry unhusked rice in 2026. Areas such as Pebayuran remain the main pillar, with productivity reaching 8-9 tonnes of harvested dry unhusked rice per hectare.
The Agriculture Office is also continuing to monitor rice stocks at mills through market information officers at the sub-district level. This is done to ensure food availability is maintained even as the threat of drought continues in several rice-producing areas.