Rivers in Kupang dry up, rice fields are threatened by Puso

"Last week I raised this issue, but it has not been followed up. The water flow of the Oetun River has been decreasing since mid-April 2024. Entering the beginning of May, conditions have become worse. There is no more water flowing into this rice field. "In fact, rice has started to become pregnant (heading to the yellowing phase) and some have started to turn yellow," said Yonatan.

The man who never attended elementary school claimed that he did not have the funds to dig a borehole. There was a borehole drilling service that came, but the required funds were Rp 80 million per spot due to the difficult terrain in the area, which consisted of hills and rocks. Yonatan gave up, unable to pay for it.

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Cash on hand is also running low. As a result, plans to buy tank water were hampered.

One unit of a water tanker containing 5,000 liters of water costs Rp 150,000. In Kupang city, the cost per tanker is Rp 70,000. However, in Yonatan village located approximately 40 km north of Kupang, passing through a very rough road and up the hills, the cost of delivering water becomes inflated.

The piece of land measuring 3,000 square meters requires about 7-10 tanks of water. "If I have the money, I want to buy water tanks to save the ripening rice and the pregnant ones. The rest can be left to fate," said Yonatan.

A man with three children claimed that he still has a rain-fed rice field spanning 4,000 square meters in the plateau. The rice has been harvested and is currently being dried for milling. There are 300 kg of dry paddy which can produce 100-200 kg of rice. However, this is not enough to meet the yearly needs of five family members, let alone additional ones who come to stay.

Agustinus Nitbani (50), another farmer who relies on the Oetun River, has a similar fate. He has a 2,000 square meter rice field that is now at risk of crop failure. His land is located in a plain that still retains remnants of rainwater. The condition of the rice is currently pregnant.

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"This rice also needs water. Without it, the crop will wither or fail. Almost all fields that rely on the water from the Oetun River are suffering from the same fate. Extension officers have come, but what can they do?" said Nitbani.

The head of the RT 022 RW 007 of Sokon Village, Fatukoa Subdistrict, Polce Amnahas (43), stated that almost all agricultural land that relies on the Oetun River water in the village is threatened with crop failure due to drought. Normally, water levels are still sufficient to flow through residents' fields until mid-May.

However, this year the river water flow dried up earlier. It has been reported to the local neighborhood. The neighborhood will further report it to the relevant authorities.

They stated that the land that depends on the Oetun River is located at several points in the direction of the river flow. Its area ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 square meters with a total of approximately 13 hectares owned by more than 10 farmers. The water discharge of Sungai Oetun in the rainy season reaches up to 200 liters per second. In April, it drops to 100 liters per second. However, this April, the water discharge has already dried up.

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Currently, when river flow is shrinking and rice fields are threatened, residents are still able to survive because they have reserve food. Bananas, coconuts, tubers, and beans are still widely available. The approximately 120 households in the village are not experiencing starvation.

Sokon village is located at an altitude of around 1,200 meters above sea level. The soil condition is moist. The weather is cold and damp in the morning and afternoon, except for scorching heat during the day.

In addition to Oetun, the Oepura River, which irrigates around 10 hectares of rice fields in the Oepura Village, has also dried up. The rice fields around Oepura are also threatened with crop failure.

The Secretary of the Kupang City Agriculture Department, Rita Lay, stated that they have not received any reports from the field, especially from field providers or co-coordinators. If any reports come up, they will certainly be discussed together to provide the best solutions for local farmers.

"I will first check with the counselors available as there have been no reports received by us, including reports from the Fatukoa Sub-district which have not yet reached us," he said.

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