- El Nino generally has the impact of reducing rainfall in Indonesia and has the potential to cause meteorological drought .
- BMKG predicts that the El Nino phenomenon in NTT will last until April 2024 and make the dry season feel longer than usual. Rain in NTT usually occurs at the end of November or early December, but until January 2024, there are still 17 out of 28 zones that have not yet entered the rainy season.
- Total corn production in NTT in 2022 [ BPS NTT ] will reach 698,023 tons. For Sikka Regency , production reached 29,416 tons, ranking 7th out of 22 districts/cities.
- A total of 13 corn-producing sub-districts in Sikka with an area of 3,546.8 ha were affected by El Nino
The white-haired woman didn't seem enthusiastic about taking care of the corn garden behind her house. Anastasia Hanapiah, a resident of Langir Village, Kangae District, Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara [NTT], admitted that she had given up. His month-old corn plants were mostly dry and wilted.
The corn harvest will definitely fail," he said, early February 2024
Usually, he plants peanuts or green beans when the corn starts to flower in February. However, this is not currently the case.
"According to him, the rain has become less frequent since the beginning of December 2023. Sometimes it rains one day and then it's hot for two weeks, even a month."
Maria Yuvani, a resident of Habi Village, Kangae District, said that she will plant corn at the end of November 2023.
“Even corn fails, let alone green beans. The important thing is to be healthy and be able to find another job."
In 2023 , Yuvani can harvest six thousand cobs of corn on one hectare of land. Even though it is not optimal, he is grateful that there is still rainfall and corn can be consumed for a year.
Impacted by El Nino
Head of the Sikka Regency Agricultural Service, Yohanes Emil Satriawan, said that 13 corn-producing sub-districts in Sikka with an area of 3,546.8 ha were affected by El Nino. Around 489.5 ha were lightly damaged, 187 ha were moderately damaged, and 24.5 ha were puso.
The area of corn land in Kangae District is the largest, namely 599 ha.
"A total of 196 hectares were lightly and moderately damaged, or 32 percent of the total existing corn land," he said.
Total corn production in NTT in 2022 [BPS NTT] will reach 698,023 tons. For Sikka Regency, production reached 29,416 tons, ranking 7th out of 22 districts/cities.
Head of the Climatology Station of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency [BMKG] Kupang, Rahmatullaj Adji, said that the El Nino phenomenon will appear in NTT in the 2023/2024 rainy season. According to satellite monitoring, most areas are still marked red, and the rainy season has not yet entered.
An area is said to be entering the rainy season if in the first season it rains 50 mm or more, followed by the following season.
“However, that doesn't mean there is no rain at all in the area. "There has been rain, but only sporadically, light, moderate, even accompanied by storm winds, but only briefly," he said.
BMKG predicts that the El Nino phenomenon in NTT will last until April 2024 and make the dry season feel longer than usual. Rain in NTT usually occurs at the end of November or early December, but until January 2024, there are still 17 out of 28 zones that have not yet entered the rainy season.
"El Nino generally has the impact of reducing rainfall in Indonesia and has the potential to cause meteorological drought .
Steps to prevent corn harvest failure
Lecturer at the Faculty of Food Technology, Agriculture and Fisheries, Nusa Nipa University, Maumere, Henderikus Darwin Beja, there are several steps that farmers can take to reduce the impact of corn harvest failure.
Firstly , efficient irrigation management, such as drip irrigation to provide metered water to corn plants .
“This keeps the plants thriving and growing, even if the rain doesn't fall.”
Second , selecting corn varieties that are more drought resistant. Third , soil conservation, such as covering the soil with mulch or planting ground cover plants to retain soil moisture and reduce evaporation.
Fourth , diversify agricultural businesses to reduce the risk of crop failure.
"Farmers can consider crops other than corn, such as sorghum and tubers that are adaptive to the local environment."
Fifth , consult with agricultural experts or local government, if difficult weather conditions continue.
"Through a combination of these steps, farmers can increase their chances of overcoming water shortages and minimize the impact of crop failure," he said.