Indonesia tackles drought across 1,229 locations amid strong El Nino

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Public Works is taking measures to address drought at 1,229 locations as of August 21, 2026, covering agricultural areas, residential communities, and areas vulnerable to land and forest fires.

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo emphasized that water availability is essential to sustaining development, particularly in the agricultural sector, which depends heavily on reliable water supplies.

“Quality water services are the backbone of economic, social, and environmental development, especially in regions facing limited water resources and the impacts of climate change,” he said in Jakarta on Saturday.

Through its Directorate General of Water Resources, the ministry continues to intensify efforts to mitigate the impacts of drought driven by a strong El Niño across Indonesia.

Ministry data showed that interventions had been completed at 1,072 of the 1,229 locations, while work was still underway at the remaining 157 sites.

The efforts covered 157 agricultural sites, 931 residential areas, and 141 areas vulnerable to land and forest fires. The measures have helped protect approximately 41,252 hectares of rice fields and secure access to clean water for 616,033 residents.

In the agricultural sector, various measures have been implemented to maintain rice production, including pumping water from rivers, dredging irrigation channels, constructing emergency canals, and optimizing water distribution networks. Of the 157 agricultural sites targeted, interventions had been completed at 124 locations.

Meanwhile, in residential areas, the ministry is prioritizing basic community needs by distributing clean water. Of the 931 targeted locations, work had been completed at 811.

Efforts are also underway to address land and forest fire risks, with interventions completed at 137 of the 141 targeted sites through hotspot suppression and other fire prevention measures.

Through these measures, the Ministry of Public Works continues to mobilize available resources and infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of drought, secure public water supplies, and protect agricultural land to sustain food production.

The efforts are in line with the ministry’s PU 608 Main Objective, which guides infrastructure development toward delivering tangible benefits to the public and supporting economic growth.