DIKSIA.COM - JAKARTA, Indonesia's Special Presidential Representative (UKP) for Poverty Reduction and Food Security Cooperation Muhamad Mardiono stressed the importance of strategy and anticipation of all elements of society in the country in dealing with the impact of El Niño.
El Nino is expected to peak in August-September 2023 and threaten food security in Indonesia.
UKP Muhamad Mardiono recently said in a keynote speech at the Strategy Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Anticipating the Impact of El Nino on Food Security at the Novotel Bogor Golf Resort and Convention Center in Bogor that the El Nino phenomenon poses a serious threat to food security in Indonesia.
“Due to the El Niño phenomenon, we are facing a drought that could impact national food production. “We really need to face this long and extreme drought with a good strategy,” said Mardiono.
If not anticipated and mitigated with a good strategy, the drought will turn into a disaster and even have other side effects such as crop failures, drinking water crises and land fires that directly impact the sustainability of food security.
It was reported that El Niño reduced rice production in Indonesia by 1 to 5 million tons between 1990 and 2020.
A number of studies conducted have also shown similar results, including the decline in rice production in Banten from 2002 to 2015 due to the El Niño phenomenon. This year, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded a realized rice production of 2.8 million tons and 5 million tons for February and March 2023, respectively, which is lower than the previous forecast which put it at 3.6 million tons and 5 million tons, respectively tons has been set.
“El Nino and La Nina are indeed phenomena that are already common, and the BMKG has also predicted that Indonesia will experience its most extreme peak in August 2023. Become a locomotive in dealing with this natural phenomenon, while considering the impact of El Nino on the agricultural sector is direct and real,” he said.
In addition, Mardiono stressed the need for special attention on the part of the competent authorities by issuing guidelines in the form of protective measures for farmers suffering crop failures due to the effects of extreme climatic conditions, since forest and land fires, in addition to huge economic losses, also have serious consequences on the impact on the Health. frightening.
Follow us on
