TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Farmers at West Bandung Regency have switched professions and become traders and construction workers because their farming fields suffered from the prolonged drought.

“Farmers here are now traders to keep earning money,” said Yadi, a farmer at Cilame Village on Sunday, September 20.

He said he has not farmed for more than a month and has been selling yams, cassavas, or anything that can be sold and make money.

He said his farm field in his village is difficult to cultivate because there is not enough water for farming. “The lands here can no longer be used for farming because there is no water,” he said.

Another farmer, Dayat, 60, said he also could not work on his field because water is difficult to get during the dry season.

He said he switched profession to construction worker two months ago. “Instead of having nothing to do, I’d rather look for another way of making money by becoming construction worker,” he said.

Dayat said the income from becoming construction worker is enough to meet his family’s every needs. “I get some money from painting houses,” he said.

Dayat added that the long dry season has made it difficult to gain water supply. He is worried that if he insists on farming, he and other farmers will suffer losses.

“It’s already difficult to gain enough water supply. If we keep on planting vegetable, the risk is too high,” he said.

ANTARA