Pest outbreaks and El Niño-driven drought slash harvests as farmers struggle to protect fields.
Farmers across Central Java are confronting two crises at once. A prolonged drought is drying fields and irrigation sources while surging rat populations are attacking everything from rice and corn to chilies and shallots, threatening rural incomes and adding pressure to Indonesia’s food production.
Rats Attack Farms Across Central Java
Rat infestations have spread across agricultural areas in Central Java, damaging rice, corn, chilies, shallots, eggplant, tomatoes and fruit trees. In Semarang alone, around 1,050 hectares of rice fields have been affected. Authorities have cleared weeds, organized mass rat hunts and encouraged simultaneous planting, but the measures have yet to significantly contain the infestation.
Farmers Patrol Fields Every Night
In Blora, the infestation has become severe enough that farmers are guarding their fields at night. Farmer Eri Muhammad Syahri patrols his 1,700-square-meter chili field with an air rifle despite installing protective nets, while other farmers have stopped planting because rats consume newly planted seeds. The pests, which previously concentrated on crops such as corn, are increasingly attacking chilies and shallots as well.
Corn Production Falls by Half
The economic impact is already visible in Rembang, where rat infestations over the past seven months have reduced corn production by as much as 50 percent. Farmer Sadimin said harvests that would normally reach between 800 kilograms and one tonne have fallen by as much as half, forcing some farmers to harvest earlier than planned to prevent rodents from destroying more of their crops.
Drought Makes Agricultural Crisis Worse
Farmers are simultaneously struggling with a severe drought intensified by El Niño. In Grobogan, farmland has become too dry to cultivate and shallow irrigation wells are beginning to dry up. Corn yields that typically reach about five tonnes per hectare have fallen by more than half, while some farms have experienced complete crop failure. Indonesia’s weather agency has warned that the dry season could persist into early 2027.
Declining Predators Add to Rat Surge
Authorities partly attribute the growing rat population to prolonged dry conditions that create dense scrub where rodents can shelter, while declining populations of natural predators such as snakes and owls have further disrupted the ecosystem. Semarang authorities have constructed around 100 owl houses, although officials say the initiative has struggled because wild owl numbers have fallen sharply. The Central Java government is also using weather modification and distributing solar-powered water pumps to help farmers cope with water shortages.
Central Java’s simultaneous drought and pest outbreaks show how environmental disruption can quickly become a food-security and livelihood problem. For Indonesians, prolonged crop losses could affect farmer incomes, food supplies and consumer prices. For Singaporeans, disruptions in one of Indonesia’s major agricultural regions are also relevant because Singapore imports substantial quantities of food from neighboring countries, making regional agricultural resilience increasingly important.
Sources: Asia News Network (2026) , The Jakarta Post (2026)
Keywords: Central Java Farmers, Indonesia Drought, Rat Infestation, El Niño Indonesia, Crop Failure, Food Security
