Indonesia plans additional social aid as El Nino drought spreads

hartono · Aug 12, 2026

Indonesia plans additional social aid as El Nino drought spreads

Personnel from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) distribute clean water to residents in Tulungagung District, East Java, on Thursday (August 6, 2026). (ANTARA/HO-BPBD Tulungagung)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Social Affairs is conducting field assessments to map out economic stimulus and additional assistance for communities affected by El Niño-induced droughts across the country.

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on Tuesday that ministry teams have been deployed to several drought-hit areas to coordinate with local authorities on appropriate intervention schemes.

When asked about distribution mechanisms, Yusuf said the delivery of aid will depend on the results of regional needs assessments.

The minister assured that the government is prepared to allocate additional aid if conditions on the ground require immediate intervention.

This supplementary aid would target households falling under Deciles 1 and 2 of the National Integrated Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN) registry, which classifies individuals as poor or extremely poor.

Meanwhile, regular social protection programs, such as the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), a quarterly staple food provision targeting 18.3 million families, will continue on schedule, Yusuf confirmed.

"The additional assistance will be in line with existing programs. We will consider the assessment results later, but there will certainly be additions if deemed necessary," he said.

In addition to preparing economic stimulus, the ministry is responding to widespread drought and wildfire risks by distributing emergency aid to fulfill basic needs, such as supplying clean water to areas experiencing severe shortages.

Areas of particular concern include Java, as well as large parts of Sumatra and Nusa Tenggara, which are currently reporting the highest temperatures and greatest vulnerability to the drought..