Public Works Ministry Addressing 294 Drought Points Across Indonesia
As of late July 2026, the Ministry of Public Works (PU) has been addressing 294 drought points across Indonesia resulting from El Niño, comprising 180 points in irrigation areas (rice fields) and 114 points in residential areas. Of these, 202 points (68.7%) have been successfully managed, while the remaining 92 points are still being processed.
These efforts aim to maintain irrigation water availability, meet public clean water needs, and sustain national agricultural productivity amidst the dry season. Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo stated that the government is currently focusing on identifying new water sources, particularly groundwater, to support agricultural needs in key food production centres.
“What we are pursuing now is to secure as many underground water sources as possible and channel them to nearby rice fields. We must ensure that farmer productivity does not decline despite the drought conditions,” Dody said in a written statement on Friday (31/7/2026).
In the search for new water sources, the Ministry of Public Works is collaborating with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), utilising isotope technology to trace potential groundwater. This initiative aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to strengthen the use of technology to support national food security.
Addressing drought in irrigation areas is a top priority due to its impact on agricultural yields. Of the 180 irrigation drought points, 160 have been resolved, while 20 remain in progress. Emergency measures include pumping water from rivers to paddy fields, normalising irrigation channels, emergency embankment reinforcement using sandbags, installing pipes to increase water flow, and constructing tertiary irrigation channels to ensure water reaches affected lands.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Works is working with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to conduct Weather Modification Operations (OMC) at several dam locations. An OMC operation was recently conducted at the Jatiluhber Dam on 30 July 2026, in collaboration with Perum Jasa Tirta II, BMKG, and the Indonesian Air Force, to maintain water reserves for irrigation.
“Weather Modification Operation is one of our ways to ensure that water continues to flow to the farmers’ fields surrounding the dams,” said Dody.
Beyond the agricultural sector, the Ministry is also addressing drought impacts in residential areas. Of the 114 residential drought locations, 42 have been resolved, while 72 are still being addressed. Emergency measures include distributing clean water via water tankers to ensure basic community needs are met during the dry season.
“Through these various steps, the Ministry of Public Works continues to strengthen mitigation efforts against the dry season by providing water sources, optimising irrigation networks, and fulfilling public clean water needs as part of the government’s commitment to maintaining water security and supporting national food security,” Dody concluded.