The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/ Flores, East Nusa tenggara, Saturday September 27 2014
This year’s extended dry season as well as planting patterns reportedly being implemented incorrectly by many farmers have caused water shortages across large areas of farmland in Bantul, Yogyakarta.
“Of the around 15,000 hectares of farmland in Bantul, more than 7,000 hectares are facing drought,” the Indonesian Farmers Union’s (SPI) Bantul chapter leader, Sumantoro, said on Thursday.
He viewed the widespread drought as being due to various factors, saying that, besides the long dry spell, many farmers have failed to fulfill fixed planting patterns and that local administrations have been indecisive over water management.
“Actually, there is a set rice-planting pattern and, during a drought like [we have] now, farmers should grow crops other than rice. However, many of them are stubborn and [continue to] plant rice, especially in rice fields located near the source of irrigation systems,” said Sumantoro.
Currently, many of the fields located near sources of irrigation systems are planted with rice.
As growing rice needs a lot of water, many rice fields located far away from water sources do not get their fair share of water, affecting those who have conformed to the set planting pattern.
In Bulak Pundong, Pandak, farmers have grown rice on hundreds of hectares of rice fields that should have been grown with alternative crops. Consequently, after planting, the farmers have failed to access adequate water and their rice crops typically wither and die.
“The agriculture office is not firm, as many misbehaving farmers blame the planting pattern and so everyone has been deprived,” said Sumantoro.
Meanwhile, Bantul Agriculture and Forestry Office head Partogi Damai Pakpahan said his office had actually informed farmers long beforehand about the extended drought during the planting of secondary crops.
Of the 15,000 ha of farmland in Bantul, more than 7,000 ha are facing drought
17 of the 22 administrative divisions in NTT have been hit by drought and will likely face food shortages
“However, we don’t have the courage to reprimand those who blame the planting pattern,” said Partogi.
The long drought has also added to the misery of residents of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). When contacted by The Jakarta Post, NTT Disaster Mitigation Agency head Tini Thadeus said 17 of the province’s 22 administrative divisions — comprising 21 regencies and one city — had been hit by drought.
“[The areas] will likely face food shortages due to the El Niño weather phenomenon,” Tini said.
One of the affected regencies is East Manggarai. As a result of the receding levels of the Waebobo River in Ranaloba and Kota Ndora villages, local residents and their livestock have to share water from the river for consumption.
Insan Lantang Muda Independent Community Institute’s East Manggarai chapter head, Doni Parera, said the extended drought had caused the river’s water volume to drop even further.
Doni said residents in East Manggarai’s regional capital of Borong faced a further water crisis, especially during the current long drought.
Residents can be seen trying to collect water underneath the Waebobo Bridge, he said.
“Previously, during the last East Manggarai regent’s term, tap water was available in residential areas, but not any more,” he said, adding that the tap water network, which was initiated by Pastor Waser, SVD, no longer channeled water after it was taken over by the East Manggarai regency administration.
“I suggest that tankers owned by the social services office provide clean water to households,” said Doni.
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za 27 sep 2014 - 8:30