DPR asks BNPB to orchestrate data on the threat of El Nino, food security as a priority

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, Alex Indra Lukman emphasized the importance of an effective system in dealing with the potential impact of the El Nino phenomenon which coincides with the dry season in 2026. He also encouraged the Government to assign the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to orchestrate the collection of data on disaster threats due to the El Nino and drought phenomenon.

This encouragement was conveyed by Alex in response to the proactive steps of President Prabowo Subianto who had instructed his staff to design steps to face the dry season which coincided with the El Nino phenomenon at a limited meeting, Tuesday, July 28.

"Accurate data will facilitate the preparation of a more comprehensive anticipation plan. It will also make it easier for the DPR to carry out supervision and evaluation," said Alex Indra Lukman, Thursday, July 30.

Alex assessed that the role of BNPB is quite significant as an emergency disaster management agency. According to him, the potential problems that will be faced in each area will be different from each other according to their respective characteristics.

"Therefore, the ability of BNPB to orchestrate data collection will produce more accurate, measurable and targeted anticipation steps," he said.

On the other hand, Alex emphasized the importance of relevant ministries/institutions preparing various steps to oversee the food security program amid the threat of disasters due to El Nino and the peak of drought. Such as the Ministry of Agriculture which is considered necessary to encourage regional heads at all levels to formulate anticipatory steps according to the local wisdom of each region.

"The most understanding of the characteristics of the region is of course its leaders. The Ministry of Agriculture, must be open to regional input in answering the challenges of El Nino accompanied by drought," said Alex.

"Among the local wisdom that is expected, about efforts to maintain water availability and protect the agricultural sector in the framework of maintaining rice self-sufficiency," concluded the legislator from the West Sumatra I District.

To note, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that the peak of the dry season in Indonesia will occur in July to September 2026, where the drought in July covers 83 Seasonal Zones (ZOM) or 12.26 percent of the land area of Indonesia.

Meanwhile, in August, the peak of the drought occurred in 369 ZOM (48.84 percent of the land area) and 169 ZOM (25.41 percent of the land area) in September. BMKG has projected the chance of El Nino in Indonesia reaching a very strong category of up to 75 percent and is expected to last until October 2026.