Jakarta. The Agricultural Ministry said Monday that it had set aside Rp 12 trillion, or roughly $700 million, to help local governments mitigate the impact of the prolonged dry season, or “Godzilla El Niño,” on crop production.

The money will be used to boost agricultural productivity amid the drier season expected to last from April to October.

Agricultural Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said that Rp 9.95 trillion ($580.3 million) would go into the procurement of plantation crop seeds. This includes cocoa, coconut, sugarcane, and cashew nuts that will be distributed across 870,000 hectares of land. The remaining Rp 3 trillion (around $175 million) will go into setting up water pipes in agricultural lands vulnerable to extreme drought.

“This brings the total [budget] to Rp 12 trillion. Hopefully, the money will [reach the regional governments] on time,” Amran said following a meeting with Indonesia’s regents.

The minister did not go into details on which regions would receive the assistance. However, Amran warned that all regions across the archipelago were susceptible to drought. This move is expected to maintain Indonesia’s food supply amid global climate challenges.

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