Purwakarta Agriculture Office Prepares 77 Water Pumps to Combat Drought

The Purwakarta Regency Food and Agriculture Office has prepared a series of anticipatory measures to address potential drought impacts on the agricultural sector, particularly rice crops. Head of the office, Hadyanto Purnama, stated that various preparations have been made to maintain agricultural productivity amidst the threat of climate change. One key measure involves the provision of pump irrigation, with the office distributing 77 three-inch water pumps to support irrigation needs. “To face the drought, we have prepared 77 three-inch water pumps. 75 units are allocated for farmer groups, while 2 units are for the Food and Agriculture Office brigade. This assistance also comes from the Ministry of Agriculture for Purwakarta Regency,” Hadyanto said on Monday. He expressed hope that the water pump assistance would help farmers meet their water needs when water discharge decreases during the dry season. In addition to pump irrigation, the office is also accelerating rice planting and encouraging the use of drought-resistant crop varieties. “Other anticipatory steps include accelerating rice planting and using varieties that are more resistant to drought, one of which is the Inpago 13 Fortiz biofortified variety,” he explained. Hadyanto added that his office continues to monitor the impacts of climate change in the field through Plant Pest Organism Control officers. “Monitoring is continuously carried out by POPT to observe crop conditions and potential climate change impacts, so that handling measures can be taken more quickly,” he said. He hopes these efforts will sustain agricultural production in Purwakarta Regency and assist farmers in facing the challenges of the dry season.