Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Agriculture Ministry, together with the West Java Provincial Government, has ensured that rice production remains optimal through anticipatory measures to face the dry season expected from April to October 2026.

“The measures focus on strengthening water availability and seed support to maintain optimal rice production and ensure food supply remains secure,” Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said in a statement received here on Sunday.

West Java, as one of the national food reserves with around 900,772 hectares of paddy fields, plays a strategic role in maintaining national rice production stability.

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has predicted that this year’s dry season could be longer and drier, especially in western and southern Indonesia.

In response to this, the Agriculture Ministry, along with local governments and relevant stakeholders, has prepared several anticipatory measures, such as strengthening agricultural irrigation networks, optimizing pumping, and optimizing non-swamp land.

Moreover, the government has been distributing rice seed assistance to maintain productivity amid climate pressures.

Sulaiman emphasized that the government has prepared comprehensive measures for the dry season through the strengthening of irrigation and pumping systems to ensure water availability for agriculture.

“Water is the key factor. Therefore, strengthening irrigation, building pumping systems, and seed support must go hand in hand to ensure farmers can continue to produce optimally,” he said.

Through coordinated actions, he expressed hope that water availability for agriculture will be maintained, enabling rice production and productivity in West Java to be sustained and even improved, despite facing climate change challenges.

To support food security, the government has also carried out major reforms in the agricultural sector by issuing 13 Presidential Regulations in agriculture and revoked around 500 internal regulations deemed to hinder the acceleration of national agricultural programs.

Translator: Harianto, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2026

Published Date: March 29, 2026