Impact Of Extreme Weather, BMKG Predicts 7 Regencies In South Sumatra To Experience Drought

Illustration - dried-up rice fields (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that as many as seven districts in South Sumatra have the potential to experience drought due to extreme weather by the end of this year.

South Sumatra BMKG Data and Information Coordinator Nandang Pangaribowo, in Palembang, Tuesday, said the seven districts were Banyuasin, Ogan Ilir, Musi Banyuasin, Ogan Komering Ulu, Ogan Komering Ulu Timur, and Central South Sumatra such as Muara Enim and Lahat Regencies.

According to him, each area has the potential to experience drought considering that it is currently due to the impact of the El-Nino storm in the Western Pacific region which has resulted in reduced rain and the weather becoming drier than usual.

Cited from Antara, Wednesday, BMKG predicts dry weather in the area will last until the end of this year and the peak will take place between July and October.

Local governments (Pemda) are advised to immediately carry out disaster emergency mitigation such as forest and land fires (karhutla) as well as disruptions in agricultural and plantation production.

To maximize mitigation efforts, his party ensures that weather analysis conditions are fully monitored by the BMKG.

Previously, the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo in a cross-sectoral coordination meeting to anticipate extreme drought in the agricultural sector, in Palembang, South Sumatra, Monday (17/7), explained that there were several anticipatory efforts that the local government had to respond to the BMKG weather analysis, including identifying and mapping locations affected by drought into red, yellow, and green areas.

Then increase the availability of alsintan and water reserves by building or repairing reservoirs, ditches, deep wells, infiltration wells, rehabilitation of tertiary irrigation networks, and pumping.

Then provide drought-resistant seeds for at least 1,000 hectares of land, centralized and independent organic fertilizer. "At the same time, including directing farmers to accelerate planting after the remaining rain," said the Minister of Agriculture.

He is optimistic that if these efforts are able to be carried out properly, the productivity of rice in South Sumatra can be stable, even the number of production results will increase as the target reaches one million tons by the end of this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture noted that the last amount of rice production in South Sumatra in 2022 reached 743 thousand tons, an increase from 2021 which was 622 thousand tons.

"So the production of rice in South Sumatra has actually been very good, even over stock. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to South Sumatra for the sake of the nation," said Minister of Agriculture Syahrul.