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Indonesia - The Impact of Drought on Households in Four Provinces in Eastern Indonesia, February 2016

Indonesia - The Impact of Drought on Households in Four Provinces in Eastern Indonesia, February 2016

In December 2015, WFP conducted a survey in Eastern Indonesia to assess the impacts of drought related to El Niño on household food security, water access, agriculture, and livelihoods. A total of 2,400 households in eight drought-affected districts across four provinces were interviewed. Key findings from the survey include: 

  • 40% of primary rice growers lost more than half of their crop in the last harvest
  • Two-thirds of agricultural households said that they had delayed or not yet planted crops in the past three months due to drought
  • Three in five households lost income due to drought, 
  • One in five households cut spending on food due to drought

Based on findings from this survey and results from WFP’s food security monitoring activities, WFP Indonesia recommends: 

  • Government of Indonesia should provide cash to poor households dependent on food crop production
  • Ministry of Agriculture should work directly with farmers and distribute seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, and information
  • Ministry of Health should provide supplementary feeding to pregnant and breastfeeding women plus children under 2 in any area with acute malnutrition rates above the critical WHO threshold of 15%

This report is made possible through technical cooperation with the Government of Indonesia’s Food Security Agency and by financial support from the Government of Australia and the Government of Germany.