NTB Provincial Government Prepares Scenarios to Face Prolonged Dry Season

Mataram (ANTARA) - The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial government is preparing several scenarios to face the potential prolonged dry season this year, which is estimated to last up to nine months ahead. NTB Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal stated that the government has undertaken early anticipations, from strengthening clean water supplies to strategies for maintaining agricultural production through land optimisation. Iqbal hopes that the prediction of a prolonged dry season supported by the El Nino phenomenon does not fully materialise. He reflects on last year’s conditions, where the forecast dry season did not last long because rain arrived earlier. The NTB government has prepared anticipatory steps to keep food production stable during the dry season period. The programme for optimising land in rain-fed areas serves as the backbone of regional food production. In 2025, the government will allocate around 14,000 hectares of land for optimisation. That programme aims to increase the cropping index from one harvest to two harvests per year. “As long as the irrigation is still functioning well, God willing, we can mitigate at least to prevent a shortage of water supply for agriculture,” said Iqbal. Based on previous reports, the BMKG states that the dry season affecting West Nusa Tenggara will occur for 25 to 27 decades or equivalent to eight to nine months. The start of the dry season begins in April 2026, while the peak period is estimated to occur in August 2026, affecting around 89 to 90 percent of West Nusa Tenggara. The NTB government has already coordinated with agricultural extension workers and farmer associations that play a role in regulating water distribution at the farmer level to direct planting patterns to remain in line with water availability conditions.