Indonesian farmers harness tech to shield crops from El Nino’s wrath

[JAKARTA] As El Nino threatens to dry out Indonesia’s abundant harvest season, disrupting planting and diminishing yields, the country’s smallholder farmers have found a beacon of hope – they are arming themselves with the necessary tech tools to mitigate the drought’s impact.

In Subang Regency, West Java, small-scale farmer Adimas Muhammad Wibisana has deployed Internet of Things technology on his 1.5-hectare farm to slash expenses and boost labour efficiency to grow hydroponic cantaloupe melons.

The dry season, the 38 year-old lamented, significantly affects the fruit quality. They are smaller and the volumes are lower, owing to water scarcity, which can also diminish nutrients.