Prabowo Orders Extension of Rice Aid Amid El Niño Concerns

President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia held a limited meeting to discuss the government's readiness to face El Niño and the various aid programs prepared for the public. Prabowo wants to ensure that the needs of the community continue to be met amidst the potential impacts of climate conditions. "We discussed readiness to face El Niño and, among other things, the aid programs prepared for this year," said Airlangga after the limited meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday (7/9/2026). One of the aids discussed was food assistance in the form of rice. Airlangga conveyed that Prabowo ordered the distribution of rice aid, which has been ongoing until September, to be continued for the next three months. "Including rice aid which amounts to 30 kg until September, and the President's directive is to continue it in the following months, namely October, November, and December," he explained. On the other hand, the government continues to monitor the impact of volcanic eruption disasters on the economy in the affected areas. This is to identify sectors experiencing disruptions and ensure that handling measures can be adjusted according to developments on the ground. "Yes, first, of course, in the affected areas, there will be contractions, and we are still monitoring what programs are affected in various provinces," said Airlangga. The government is also observing the impact of the eruption activities of several volcanoes on the mobility and economic activities of the community. Airlangga stated that monitoring is being carried out on the impact of eruptions from several volcanoes in Indonesia, especially on community activities in the affected areas. "We are also monitoring the impact of the eruptions of 5-6 volcanoes in Indonesia. Especially for community activities which have significantly decreased," he said. In addition to community activities, disruptions due to disasters also have the potential to affect the logistics sector. The government is observing this condition, including its impact on the aviation sector which is related to cargo transportation. "Logistics are definitely disrupted in the aviation sector. Because the aviation sector is also related to cargo," Airlangga revealed. Furthermore, Airlangga stated that the government is still monitoring the developments of these disruptions, including estimating how long the closure or restrictions in the aviation sector need to be. "We are still monitoring how long this needs to be closed," concluded Airlangga.