Facing a Prolonged Drought, West Java Provincial Government Urges Regencies and Cities to Prepare

West Java Deputy Governor Erwan Setiawan said in a briefing in Cirebon on Friday that the rainy season is nearly over and BMKG forecasts that a prolonged dry season will follow. He said this condition should be anticipated early by local governments so as not to cause large impacts on food production or water supply for communities. According to him, one of the measures the provincial government is taking is to promote the development of water-efficient agricultural commodities. He noted that sorghum is potentially suitable for development because it does not rely heavily on water compared with other crops such as rice and maize. ‘Sorghum does not require much water. If it’s rice, maize, and other crops, they depend heavily on water, while sorghum does not,’ he said. In addition, the government urged authorities to optimise the use of embung that are already available as water reserves during the dry season. The West Java Provincial Government is also working to safeguard water sources to ensure supplies when rainfall declines. ‘We are currently making better use of existing embung, and we are protecting springs so that water stocks during the dry season can be sufficient,’ he said. Deputy Governor Erwan urged regional heads across West Java to remind stakeholders in the regencies and cities to protect available water sources. He emphasised that embung and dams in the region must not run dry during the drought. ‘In the near future we, together with BMKG, will also give specific directions to regional heads in a coordination meeting to strengthen mitigation measures against potential impacts of the drought,’ said Erwan Setiawan.