Drought Expands and Begins to Impact Agriculture

The General Chairman of the Andalan Farmers and Fishermen Contact (KTNA), Mohammad Yadi Sofyan Noor, stated that a number of agricultural areas are beginning to be affected by drought as the intensity of the dry season increases. These areas are spread across West Java, Central Java, and South Kalimantan. In West Java, the affected areas are in Indramayu and Subang Regencies. Meanwhile, in Central Java, Purworejo Regency remains relatively safe due to its technical irrigation system and water source availability. In South Kalimantan, the affected areas include Banjar, Tanah Laut, and Tanah Bumbu Pagatan Regencies. ‘To face the impact of drought, KTNA is accustomed to adapting. If there is still a water source, we use the available water pump machines,’ Sofyan told Republika on Monday (20/7/2026). According to him, when water sources become limited, farmers utilise deep wells as an alternative. If water sources completely dry up, water needs are met using tanker trucks in sufficient quantities. This step is taken so that crops continue to receive a water supply during the dry season. The Ministry of Agriculture previously detailed various mitigation measures prepared by the government to face potential drought due to the dry season and the threat of El Niño. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono said this strategy is implemented to maintain national food production. According to him, mitigation is carried out through an early warning information system (Si-PERDITAN), strengthening water infrastructure, pump installation, rehabilitation of irrigation networks, provision of drought-resistant seeds, and intensive coordination with ministries, agencies, and local governments. ‘Data shows that the mitigation efforts we are undertaking are effective. The area of crop failure due to El Niño up to July 2026 is around 12,000 hectares, far lower than in 2015 which reached around 217,000 hectares. This means the government’s preparedness is increasingly robust and national food production can be maintained,’ Sudaryono said during a working meeting with Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta a few days ago. To strengthen preparedness for the dry season, the Ministry of Agriculture is also accelerating the provision of agricultural machinery, such as water pumps, tractors, and rice transplanters, so that agricultural land productivity remains optimal across various regions. Sudaryono said these mitigation measures are aimed at reducing the risk of crop failure while maintaining land productivity amidst the threat of climate change. The government will continue to strengthen preparedness so that national food security is maintained and food self-sufficiency targets can be achieved.