Central Java and Yogya face drought and crop failure

Central Java and Yogya face drought and crop failure

Suherdjoko and Slamet Susanto, Semarang/Yogyakarta

The dry season has started in Central Java and Yogyakarta,
leading to critical water shortages and serious damage to rice
crops, officials say.

According to the Central Java Agricultural Office, about 18
out of 35 regencies in Central Java are facing water shortages in
the early stages of this year's dry season. The season, which
started in April, is expected to last until September.

Data from the Central Java Water Resource Management Office
(PSDA) says three of the 30 reservoirs in the area have
completely dried up and 11 others are in critical condition.

Areas which are suffering from water shortages are the
Cilacap, Purworejo, Kebumen, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, Sragen,
Wonogiri, Klaten, Brebes, Pemalang, Pekalongan, Semarang,
Grobogan, Pati, Blora, Banyumas, Boyolali and Rembang regencies.

Food Crops Protection and Horticulture Agency head Suhargi
Yantono said almost 13,000 hectares of rice fields in these areas
were suffering the effects of drought, while 3,491 hectares of
would likely suffer harvest failure.

The Wonogiri regency was the worst affected, with severe
droughts affecting 2,180 hectares of land, followed by Klaten
with 535 hectares, Sukoharjo with 387 hectares and Boyolali with
144 hectares.

"Severe water shortages in these areas usually happen in the
dry season when rain-dependent rice fields in Wonogiri are the
worst hit," Yantono said.

The administration this week set aside Rp 400 million
(US$42,105) from the PSDA's budget for cloud-seeding. PSDA head
Nidham Azhari said seeding was an effective way to minimize the
effects of water shortages in the regions.

Meanwhile, the Yogyakarta provincial administration said it
had prepared food reserves of 116 tons of rice using a local
coordinating agency to anticipate the likely shortages caused by
the drought.

"Rations are ready to be channeled at any time to areas that
are in need," secretary Bambang Priyohadi said on Thursday.

The dry season used to be noticeable in June and peak in
August, however, the irregular weather patterns of late had meant
it would likely continue into September, Bambang said.

"Health problems caused by a lack of clean water, medical care
and food scarcity will arise, as in previous droughts," he said.

The areas around Yogyakarta most prone to drought are the
Gunungkidul and Kulonprogo regencies, with both experiencing
serious problems in the past. Regional administrations have been
supplying extra water to these areas for the past several weeks.

Data shows that 182 out of 260 artesian wells in Gunungkidul;
an important source of water for locals; are running low or have
dried up in the past month and many residents now have to buy
their water.

Semanu district public welfare official Sumantri said four of
the five villages in his district were now facing water
shortages.

Residents had to pay Rp 70,000 for a tank of water, Sumantri
said. "It depends on the distance. It could cost more than Rp
100,000 for a tanker truck to send water to a remote village," he
said.