YOGYAKARTA - The impact of extreme weather on rice and corn production in Indonesia is now a serious threat to national food security. Prolonged drought and floods have suddenly caused thousands of hectares of agricultural land to experience crop failure in recent years.
Indonesian farmers now have to face the harsh reality of climate change. The data shows a significant decline in productivity due to uncertain weather, forcing thousands of farmers to lose up to hundreds of millions of rupiah every planting season.
Food is a basic necessity that must always be available in terms of quantity, quality, security, and affordability. Food needs continue to increase as Indonesia's population grows, which now reaches more than 270 million people.
However, nowadays, the challenges are getting tougher because the conversion of agricultural land for non-farm needs continues.
Reporting from the Vol Applied Agricultural Research Journal. 23, food production depends on the balance of various factors including humans, technology, and natural elements such as land, water, and climate.
However, in recent years, extreme climate events have become increasingly frequent with increasing frequency. Climate anomalies such as changes in rainfall intensity, rising temperatures, drought, and floods have become a serious threat to the productivity of food crops.
The phenomenon of Elrypto Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of the main causes of climate variability in Indonesia. El happened to trigger a prolonged drought, while La Ni happened to cause excessive rainfall and floods that both harm farmers.
Based on research, the ENSO phenomenon has proven to have a significant negative effect on rice production.
The increase in rainfall of 1% can reduce rice production by 0.078%. This negative coefficient shows that El Kalimantan's influence is greater than that of La Niwas.
Elwiel caused a severe drought resulting in a 2.43% decline in rice production and 2.91% rice fields. The impact on rice fields is greater because it is not connected to irrigation networks.
Meanwhile, based on studies in North Sulawesi, the rice productivity decreased drastically from 6.80 tons/ha to 3.54 tons/ha due to an increase in temperature of 2.5 degC and rainfall of 25%.
In addition, the decrease in rainfall also causes a shift in the planting season which reduces the intensity of planting throughout the year.
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Unlike rice, rainfall does not have a significant effect on corn production even though the coefficients are negative.
It should be noted that corn plants need less water, so that the decline in rainfall does not have a significant impact. The resilience of corn production is also suspected because farmers have developed mitigation and adaptation strategies after repeatedly facing ENSO.
Thus, the impact of extreme weather on rice and corn production in Indonesia shows a different pattern but both threaten food security.
El Kalimantan had a significant negative impact on rice with a 2-3% decrease, especially rice fields without irrigation access. Corn production is relatively more resistant thanks to low water needs and good farmer adaptation.
Meanwhile, mitigation requires a comprehensive approach by developing drought-resistant varieties, expanding irrigation networks, weather prediction technology, and agricultural insurance programs.
The use of subsidized fertilizer also needs to be optimized according to the recommended dose to avoid reducing productivity. With the right strategy, Indonesia can minimize losses and maintain food production stability amid the threat of climate change.
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