"We have prepared various efforts to deal with the El Niño phenomenon, such as preparing buffer agricultural land of approximately 500 thousand hectares in various regions," he stated during a coordination meeting to anticipate El Niño for Lampung Province on Wednesday.
El Niño poses weak- to moderate-intensity threats that may cause disruptions to water supply, thereby leading to drought and a decline in food agricultural production activities.
Apart from preparing buffer agricultural land to reduce the impact of the potential for extreme weather, his side will make adjustments by planting food crop varieties that are more drought-resistant.
"Currently, we are focusing on planting early-maturing rice varieties, which are drought-resistant and will be developed," he revealed.
Limpo noted that his ministry will conduct a more specific intensification of food supply by maximizing the use of mechanization and technology in the management of agricultural land in various regions.
"All regions must map out their respective areas that are prone to drought with red, yellow, and green areas. After that, they can carry out a planting movement of one thousand hectares per district, using organic fertilizer and maximizing water-saving cultivation," he emphasized.
In an effort to mitigate the El Niño impact, he deemed it necessary to make temporary efforts by adding more ponds and infiltration wells, disseminating information on water-saving cultivation, and increasing awareness of climate information for agricultural areas.
"(We should also) increase the availability of agricultural machinery to accelerate planting, increase water availability, as well as carry out tertiary irrigation rehabilitation and water pumping," he revealed.
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Translator: Ruth Intan S K, Resinta S
Editor: Anton Santoso
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