West Bandung's Strategy to Meet Rice Production Targets Amid El Nino Threat

The West Bandung Regency government is rolling out a comprehensive strategy to meet its 2026 rice production target amidst the threat of drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon. The region is targeting a total production of 265,368.2 tons of dry unhusked grain (GKP) for the year. However, data from the Food Security and Agriculture Office (Dispangtan) shows that first-semester production only reached 163,974 tons GKP, equivalent to 81,514 tons of rice, marking an 11.59 percent decline compared to the same period in 2025. West Bandung Regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail stated that without intervention, grain production is projected to drop by a further 10 to 15 percent in the second planting season of 2026. The production relies on 18,093.77 hectares of raw paddy fields, with 433 hectares currently identified as threatened by drought. To mitigate the risk of crop failure, the local government, in collaboration with central and provincial authorities as well as the military and police, is strengthening agricultural infrastructure. Efforts include the construction of pumping irrigation systems, piped irrigation, and groundwater irrigation networks, alongside improvements to primary, secondary, and tertiary irrigation channels and water conservation structures. Head of the Food Security and Agriculture Office Lukmanul Hakim added that the government has distributed 157 three-inch water pumps sourced from the 2026 state budget to 13 affected sub-districts between May and June. These pumps are expected to service between 785 and 1,500 hectares of land. Farmers are also being advised to switch to drought-resistant seed varieties such as Inpari 42 and Inpari 48, as well as hybrid maize for the dry season. Additionally, extension officers are providing guidance on water-saving cultivation techniques, including the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), the use of mulch, crop diversification, and adjusting planting schedules.