City Government Directs Farmers to Plant Drought-Resistant Crops Ahead of Dry Season

The North Jakarta Food Security, Marine, and Agriculture Sub-agency (Sudin KPKP) is encouraging farmers to plant crops that are resistant to water scarcity in preparation for the dry season, which is predicted to last until September. “Farmers have been directed to adapt to the dry season by selecting plant varieties that are more tolerant of limited water, such as cassava, corn, and legumes,” said Novy Christine Palit, Head of the North Jakarta KPKP Sub-agency, on Monday. She explained that her agency is continuously providing assistance to farmers and fishermen to help them adapt to extreme weather conditions. She noted that secondary crops are more suitable for cultivation during the dry season compared to plants that require large amounts of water. Meanwhile, rice paddies in the Rorotan area are currently safe, as they are expected to be harvested within the next two weeks. She stated that rice plants require a lot of water at the beginning of the planting period, and since the plants in Rorotan are now approaching harvest, the dry season actually supports the harvesting process. “Replanting will be carried out at the beginning of the rainy season,” she said. She added that an increase in pest attacks is also a challenge during the dry season, ranging from mealybugs on fruit plants to bird and rat attacks in rice fields, which need to be anticipated through proper control measures. Novy said that vegetable cultivation is quite affected during the dry season, but hydroponic systems can still be used. “Because water and nutrient requirements can be met in a measured way,” she said.