Jakarta – Climate change is now the biggest threat to farmers in Indonesia, disrupting food production and undermining the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the agricultural sector, according to researchers. With weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, farmers face chaotic planting seasons and the threat of more frequent droughts and floods.
Disaster mitigation expert Djati Mardiatno from the Faculty of Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), emphasized that climate change has a major impact on food security. Extreme weather conditions, such as long droughts and erratic heavy rains, damage irrigation systems and limit farmers’ access to water.
“Climate change is the biggest enemy for our farmers. Without a good irrigation system, rice fields will dry up, and agricultural productivity will continue to decline,” Djati said in a written statement on Monday, September 23.
Djati advises the government and society to immediately find long-term solutions to climate change by building a more resilient irrigation system. Rivers, lakes, and ponds can be utilized as alternative water sources to irrigate rice fields during the dry season. In addition, the government should support the procurement of groundwater pumps in areas that do not have easy access to natural water sources.
He cited Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, as an area with great potential for groundwater utilisation.
“The soil in Gunungkidul has geological characteristics that allow storing large amounts of rainwater in underground rivers and caves. This can be an important alternative water source, especially in the dry season,” Djati explains.
However, Djati also recognizes that groundwater management is costly, especially when pumping water from underground rivers.
“The underground rivers are very deep, around 50 to 100 meters. Special pumping technology is needed for the water to rise to the surface,” he added.
Drought mitigation
In addition to relying on government solutions, Djati encourages communities to be actively involved in addressing the impacts of climate change, especially in terms of water management. He emphasised the importance of rainwater harvesting systems in homes and farmlands. By collecting water during the rainy season, people can use it for irrigation and daily needs during the dry season.
“Independently, the community can make rainwater reservoirs that can irrigate rice fields or for household needs after being purified. This is a simple but very effective way to overcome water shortages in the dry season,” he said.
In addition, Djati underlined the importance of embung (ponds) and dam construction in drought-prone areas, such as East Nusa Tenggara.
“These regions must prepare well for the dry season. Embungs and artificial dams can be a long-term solution to ensure water supply remains available,” he explained.
Climate change not only disrupts irrigation systems but also affects the planting season. Previously, climate forecasts indicated that the peak of the dry season would occur in August to September. However, with climate change, weather patterns have become unstable, which can cause rain to fall unexpectedly in these dry months.
Djati explains that this makes it more difficult for farmers to plan their planting season.
“Erratic rains make it difficult for farmers to determine when to plant, and the risk of crop failure is getting higher,” he said.
In the long term, climate change also has the potential to worsen food insecurity in Indonesia. Without concrete action to address the impacts of climate change, the agricultural sector – the backbone of the economy and food security – will continue to decline. (Hartatik)
