Agricom.id, ACEH – Based on geophysics, climatology, meteorology agency, some regions in Indonesia would be in drought.

Of the 342 zones in Indonesia, 30 percent would be drier than it in normal, such as, in some regions in Aceh, some regions in eastern of North Sumatera, some Riau, eastern Lampung, southern Banten, some regions in West Java, and central and northern Central Java. The early days of drought have been since May and the peak would be in August 2020.

Ministry of Agriculture through General Directorate of Horticulture is ready to support the horticulture production.

This is the same as what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo told that ministry of agriculture would exist to secure the important daily needs, namely, chili and garlic for 267 million citizens of Indonesia. The goal is to minimize the production loss because of the impact of climate change (drought).

General Director of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto, Wednesday (29/7/2020) told that to keep the planting away from the climate change impacts, the agriculture agencies in many districts through the field officers should support and play the important roles.

Director of Horticulture Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Sri Wijayanti Yusuf said that the policy in her directorate as the developer and executor of climate change impact is about to secure the horticulture production by anticipation and mitigation.

The location targets are the vulnerable horticulture regions of drought and flood. The directorate has coordinated with the regional governments to anticipate the climate change impact to the horticulture commodities in Indonesia.

“The drought is the regular situation that happens in every single year namely in the vulnerable regions. The drought disasters tend to get increasing both in the frequency, intensity, and distribution. These are real things that influence the horticulture sub-sector,” she said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Head of Balai Perlindungan Tanaman Pangan dan Hortikultura (BPTPH), Aceh Province, Iriana Ismida said that to anticipate the climate change impact, they have done anticipative ways by giving helps, such as, the water pumps.

She also told that climate change is the impact raised from the climate variability, such as, the flood and the drought.

The observation done by the officers is about to know the damage width from the climate change impacts, and the influencing factors. Then the observation result would be analyzed to determine what to do.

“In facing the dry season, we have done anticipative ways in the regions where the drought always happens, such as, District of Aceh Timur and Aceh Besar by giving water pumps,” Iriana said.

They who get the helps are Kelompok Tani Merak Jaya in Village of Gelanggang Merah, Sub district of Peureulak Timur, District of Aceh Timur and Kelompok Tani Taruna Tani in Village of Kuta Karang, Sub district of Darul Imarah, District of Aceh Besar. The local farmers thank ministry of agriculture and BPTPH Aceh for giving the helps through the climate change impact anticipation program.

“Alhamdulillah, by the water pump, we could plant vegetables in the dry season and we should not worry about the lack of water,” Hamdani of Kelompok Tani Merak Jaya, said for getting the advantage of the program. (A2)