Indonesia orders drought mapping to protect crops ahead of El Nino dry season
Indonesia has instructed regional authorities to map drought-prone farmland and strengthen early warning systems before the El Nino dry season to limit crop losses and protect food security.
Indonesia’s Agriculture Ministry has instructed governors and district heads to map drought-prone agricultural land ahead of the dry season associated with El Nino. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said the measure is intended to protect food security and help local authorities respond faster to weather-related threats before crop damage spreads.
According to the minister, regional authorities have been directed to prepare an integrated early warning system. During a working meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on April 7, he said mapping vulnerable areas and putting a warning system in place would allow quicker intervention and reduce the impact of drought on agricultural output through more effective planning.
The ministry is also intensifying water management efforts. ANTARA reported that the government is rehabilitating irrigation networks and building reservoirs, shallow wells and deep wells, while also expanding piped pumping systems and pumped irrigation. The infrastructure push is aimed at supporting production in areas where water shortages are most likely to disrupt planting and crop development.
In parallel, the government is accelerating planting schedules, promoting drought-resistant varieties and encouraging adaptive cropping patterns. Sulaiman also stressed the need for stronger coordination between local administrations and agricultural stakeholders. He said El Nino could bring dry conditions for as long as six months, although he added that the 2015 episode was likely stronger than the current scenario.
The minister noted that Indonesia had previously managed El Nino episodes with partners in 2015, 2023 and 2024 and had also dealt with La Nina conditions. The new mapping and early warning campaign shows a shift toward more systematic preparation for climate risk, with the stated aim of reducing production losses, protecting harvests and keeping the food market more stable during the coming dry season.