At the Inflation and El Nino Impact Control Meeting here on Monday, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo said that the assistance has comprised 30 four-wheeled tractors, 30 two-wheeled tractors, 30 cultivators, 40 water pumps, and 50 hand sprayers.
In addition, a joint commitment on smallholder business credit (KUR) has been signed between the Agriculture Ministry, South Sulawesi provincial government, and Gowa district administration.
The commitment covers the distribution of Rp100 million in KUR for South Sulawesi province and Rp50 million for Gowa district.
"Experience and practices that have worked well in tackling El Nino need to be bolstered again," Minister Limpo said.
He explained that those good practices need to be implemented to ensure safe and sufficient food supply and maintain the excellent performance of the agricultural sector.
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Furthermore, he listed the efforts made by the ministry to anticipate and adapt to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon.
Those efforts, he said, have included identifying locations affected by drought due to the weather phenomenon. The ministry has also categorized the locations into red, yellow, and green.
The ministry has accelerated planting by using modern agricultural tools to make the most of the remaining rainfall.
Limpo said that his ministry is also seeking to increase water supply by building or repairing reservoirs and dams, deep wells, infiltration wells, and rehabilitating tertiary irrigation networks.
Then, to mitigate the impact of El Nino, the ministry has also distributed seeds that are resistant to pests and drought.
Further, the ministry has provided KUR and agricultural insurance and helped prepare food granaries down to the village level.
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Translator: Abdul K, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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