Indonesia’s wildfires and haze in Kalimantan cost billions: Families pay the price
Wildfires in South Kalimantan are causing significant economic hardship for local farmers, who face crop destruction and rising operational costs. The inability of emergency services to effectively combat these fires has left families struggling to maintain their livelihoods.
Why it matters
This highlights the human and economic cost of environmental disasters, illustrating how climate-related events disproportionately affect vulnerable agricultural communities.
Adi Siswoyo, 43, with his wife, Asmarawati, 39, and their son, Rahmat Rafis Saputra, 5, at their home in Banjarbaru. The farmer’s household income has fallen substantially after wildfires scorched his farm.
Listen Summarise A severe wildfire season and resulting haze are driving huge economic and health costs across Indonesia. The fires and resulting drought have raised farming costs, reduced incomes and disrupted schooling. Many families are also facing higher health, electricity and food costs, while selling less at markets. Farmers like Adi are reconsidering their livelihoods, shifting from vegetables to fish and mushrooms as fires, dry weather and financial pressures take a toll. AI generated
BANJARBARU , South Kalimantan – Indonesian farmer Adi Siswoyo could only watch helplessly as fire swept through his vegetable farm .
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