Jakarta – Religious Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin has called on Indonesians to pray for rainfall as the archipelago continues to struggle with the extreme dry season due to El Nino.

"I'm urging Muslims to perform 'Salatul Istisqa' [Islamic prayer for rain]... and other religious communities to pray for rain and bring blessings," Lukman said in a press release distributed in Jakarta on Wednesday.

This year's dry season, which started in March and has since intensified, has already had a detrimental effect on the productivity of farmers across the nation.

Officials in Central Java have expressed concerns that a severe drought could threaten food security across the province and throughout Indonesia, as the region's paddy fields are one of the country's main sources of rice.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/religious-minister-indonesians-pray-rain/