Bali maps 328,000 hectares at drought risk and prepares 50 pumps

In brief: Bali's agriculture and food security agency has mapped approximately 328,000 hectares of farmland that could be affected by drought; reports published on 8 October 2026 say the province has around 50 water pumps and response teams ready, although the mapped area is not a measure of crops already lost.

The plan is designed to protect fields if the dry spell persists. It does not establish how much land will actually be affected or guarantee that water can be delivered to every plot identified as vulnerable.

The mapped area includes major rice-growing districts

Provincial agriculture chief I Wayan Sunada identified Jembrana and Tabanan among the areas being monitored. Both are important rice-producing districts. Officials are concerned about the water available to newly planted and growing crops, particularly where irrigation supplies are less dependable.

The timing reflects expectations of a late start to the wet season. Indonesia's meteorological agency, BMKG, said in its 2 October seasonal outlook that parts of Bali would enter the rainy season in November or December 2026. According to Sunada, the anticipated delay had not yet forced a revision to farmers' planting calendar as of 8 October.

Actual losses must be counted separately. Bali Post reported on 8 October that the Jembrana district agriculture office had recorded 143.15 hectares of paddy fields affected by drought, including 89.46 hectares where crops had failed. These are district-specific figures for observed conditions, not an estimate of damage across the entire 328,000-hectare provincial risk map.

Pumps are on standby, but coverage has not been specified

The provincial agency says it has prepared about 50 pumps to draw water from rivers for use on farmland. Its Gerakan Pengendalian, or Gerdal, response teams are also available to investigate reports and address threats to crops, including drought and plant disease.

That is a preparedness announcement, not a completed irrigation programme. The reports do not provide a district-by-district deployment schedule, the number of pumps already operating or the total acreage they could serve. The availability of river water and functioning irrigation channels will also shape how useful the equipment proves to be.

Sunada pointed to a significant difference between fields with established irrigation infrastructure and those reliant on rainfall. Well-served plots can achieve as many as three harvests a year, while rain-fed fields generally manage only one. The provincial risk total therefore offers little insight into the circumstances of any single farm.

Early reports from farmers will guide the response

Growers noticing signs of water stress have been asked to contact their district agriculture office, a local agricultural extension worker or their pekaseh, the person who leads a traditional Balinese subak irrigation association. The provincial agency says it cannot inspect every field directly and relies on reports to identify where teams need to respond.

For households and businesses on Bali, disruption to local food production could eventually affect supplies and costs. There is not yet enough information in this announcement to forecast a province-wide harvest decline or an increase in rice prices. Those outcomes would require evidence from actual yields, distribution and local markets as the season progresses.

• Bali Post, “Hadapi Potensi Kekeringan, Bali Siapkan 50 Pompa dan Petakan Ratusan Ribu Hektare Lahan” — 8 October 2026.
• Bali Post, “Kemarau Ekstrem, 89,46 Hektare Sawah di Jembrana Puso” — 8 October 2026.
• BMKG, “Prediksi Musim Hujan 2026/2027 di Indonesia” — 2 October 2026.