Hundreds of Farmers Forced to Change Occupations Due to Drought
Hundreds of farmers in Lebak Regency, Boded, have been forced to change their professions over the past month due to a prolonged drought that has triggered extreme water shortages in lowland rice fields. The El Niño phenomenon has rendered agricultural land unworkable post-harvest, forcing farmers to seek alternative sources of income to meet their families’ economic needs.
Ruhiana, the Chairperson of the Sukabungah Farmers Group in Tambakbaya Village, revealed that approximately 250 farmers in her area are no longer working in the fields. They have opted for various forms of casual labour, ranging from itinerant trading to migrating to other regions.
“They have transitioned into retail traders at the Rangkasbitung and Semi Narimbang markets. Others have become construction labourers, porters in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, motorcycle taxi drivers, or even sand miners,” Ruhiana stated in Lebak on Saturday.
According to Ruhiana, these farmers are scattered across Serang, Cilegon, Merak, Tangerang, and Jakarta in search of a living. Meanwhile, those who still possess food reserves have chosen to stay home while repairing farming equipment in preparation for the upcoming planting season.
A similar situation is occurring in the Rangkasbitung area. Udin, Chairperson of the Blok Central Farmers Group, noted that around 150 farmers in his region have been directly impacted by El Niño. The majority are currently working as labourers on construction projects in Jakarta.
“We, along with other farmers, are working as construction labourers in Jakarta and return weekly with money for our families,” said Udin.
The impact of the drought is also felt by Abdulraup, a farmer from Warunggunung. For the past three weeks, he has transitioned into a ‘bakso cuanki’ (meatball soup) vendor in Rangkasbitung due to the lack of activity in the rice fields. He is not alone, as approximately 30 other farmers have followed a similar path using a commission-based income system.
Responding to this phenomenon, the Head of Production at the Lebak Regency Agriculture Office, Dodi Hermawan, confirmed that many farmers across various sub-districts are temporarily changing professions. This move is viewed as a survival strategy amidst uncertain environmental conditions.
“We are ensuring that once the rainy season arrives, they will return to food agricultural activities,” concluded Dodi.
The Lebak Regency Agriculture Office has previously attempted to mitigate the drought through pumpisation programmes at several points to assist lands that still have water sources.