The effect of long drought on farmers

Adinda Rizqy Aulia (30802400013)

The effect of long drought on farmers

Semarang, October 22, 2026. Fields in Tlogorejo that are usually green at this time of year are now dry. Farmers here have been dealing with a long dry season, and the effects are visible in their harvest, their income, and their expenses.

Mr. Sholeh, a farmer with more than twenty years of experience, said the biggest problem is the lack of water. The river and wells he relies on have dried up, so his crops do not get enough water. He estimates that his harvest this year is about half of last year’s.

“susah air, jadi hasil panennya menurun”

Lower yields are only part of the problem. The crops that do grow are often smaller and of lower quality, so buyers offer lower prices. Farmers end up selling less produce at a cheaper rate. Meanwhile, the costs of farming have not gone down. Seeds and crop medicine are still expensive. Dry weather also makes pests more common, which means farmers have to spend more on crop medicine than usual.

“harga obatnya mahal, tapi hasil panennya sedikit jadi tidak balik modal”

Rain has fallen a few times in recent weeks, but each time it lasted only a short while. It was not enough to refill the wells or soak the fields properly. For farmers, a single short shower does not solve the problem.

“yangf paling kami harapkan ya turun hujan, udah beberapa kali hujan, tapi sebentar aja”

Until steady rain comes, farmers in Tlogorejo can only continue to manage with the little water they have and hope for better conditions in the coming weeks.