"I will ask the minister for reports on agricultural fields likely to have crop failure due to the drought," Jokowi said after chairing a closed meeting in the Presidential Office here on Thursday, to discuss the impacts El Nino on food security.
In a meeting last week, he added, he had instructed the minister to anticipate the impacts of the natural phenomenon that triggered the drought and is feared will affect rice production as well as cause forest fires.
"It is crucial that its impacts on the sectors of agriculture, forestry and fisheries be anticipated. It is also of utmost importance to save the fields that are likely to have crop failure due to the drought," the president emphasized.
However, the head of state remains optimistic that the drought will not affect national food security because it was reported that some regions will have grand harvests in September.
"Last week, during my visit to East Java, the governor reported that the impacts of El Nino are not too significant and that they will have a grand harvest in September," Jokowi affirmed.
Furthermore, President Jokowi also noted that he had received a report from the governor of South Sulawesi during a working visit. It stated that the province will have its grand harvest in September, as well.
"These are the fields that I know about. Perhaps the agriculture minister could elaborate on the recent conditions," he remarked during the meeting.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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