Drought and Politics

The dry season, which is predicted to last longer than last year, has not only caused haze, but has already harmed hundreds of hectares of farming areas and made the land uncultivable. At least 13 regions have not seen rain for 90 days since July 20.

KOMPAS/EMANUEL EDI SAPUTRA

Officers of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency of Pontianak City, West Kalimantan, extinguish peatland fires on Friday (20/7/2018).

The dry season, which is predicted to last longer than last year, has not only caused haze, but has already harmed hundreds of hectares of farming areas and made the land uncultivable.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), at least 13 regions have not seen rain for 90 days since July 20. The Sape district in Bima regency, East Nusa Tenggara, has had the longest period with no rain at 122 days.

The El Niño weather phenomenon, which usually occurs between July and September, is not expected to have a significant impact on most parts of Indonesia. Even so, the BMKG has warned the public to be alert to a shortage of drinking water and water scarcity for irrigation, and the increased possibility of forest fires.

Siswanto, the head of the BMKG production, climate information and air quality department, said that most areas in East Java could potentially suffer a water scarcity. "The impact of meteorological drought on the availability of water for [irrigating] crops will be widespread, considering that the dry season peak will between August and September," he said.

Residents of at least 40 villages across six districts in the Boyolali regency, Central Java, have begun to experience a clean water crisis. To meet their daily water needs, the people are buying clean water at Rp 120,000 per 5,000-liter tank. Drought and drought-related crisis are also occurring in Cirebon, Kuningan, Magelang and Temanggung.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Members of the Manggala Agni Firefighting Troop of Operation Area I Palangkaraya are extinguishing the fire and spraying peatlands around Mahir-Mahar Road, Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan on Saturday (21/7/2018). Between Friday (20/7) and Saturday morning 15 hotspots were detected throughout Central Kalimantan.

The current drought is not caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon that usually occurs in September. According to Siswanto, this year’s El Niño is “weak” and will last five months.

"However, it can also develop into a medium category as in 1986 that lasted a long time, beginning in September 1986 and ending only in February 1988 after 18 months," he said.

The BMKG forecast and recent experiences with drought should alert the government, both central and regional. As the drought is not yet widespread, local administrations can take anticipatory measures. However, if the drought begins to affect many areas, the central government must become involved. Good planning is needed and should be prepared now.

In the midst of the unfavorable global economic situation, anticipatory measures are an absolute must. Otherwise, the long drought that has been forecast could cause new social problems.

We do not want certain people taking advantage of the drought issue for short-term interests in the upcoming general election. Serious commitment in anticipating the impact of the drought will show that the government is present among its people under all circumstances.

In this situation, the government, both central and local, should actively study the potential impacts of drought so that the issue will not spread to other spheres of life.