Ecological Impacts

There are several ecological impacts caused by the implementation of colonial policy in food and agriculture in Indonesia. For example, during the Pacific War, Japan needed a lot of coal for war and military purposes. Thus, the Japanese government demanded an increase in timber production in Indonesia. Large swathes of forest were cleared to build ships and railroads and to produce charcoal. The threat of deforestation was looming.

Increased deforestation caused two fatal consequences. First, it increased the risk of rainfall flows during the rainy season, undermining traditional irrigation systems. Second, it resulted in the erosion of barren highlands, which increased silt content in irrigation water. Silt deposits clogged sewers and drain, reducing reservoir capacity.

In addition, the impact of changes in the ecosystem due to the intensification of agricultural technology by the Japanese government caused severe drought and pest attacks hit Southeast Asia in 1944 (Kurasawa 1993: 24-25). As a result, the cultivation of Horai rice was hampered in several areas.

Referensi: 
Kurasawa, Aiko. 1993. Mobilisasi dan kontrol: studi tentang perubahan sosial di pedesaan Jawa, 1942-1945 Seri pengkajian kebudayaan Jepang. Jakarta: Yayasan Karti Sarana dengan Penerbit PT Gramedia Widiasarana Indonesia

Van der Eng, P. (2008). Food Supply in Java during War and Decolonisation, 1940-1950.
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/8852/

Google Drive 1944_Edisi 14 tahun 2604
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12lNoM4Mlcy3vyjKlrNzGQNN5CC8iwA7k?ths=true

Famine during Japan’s occupation due to food shortages & the mobilization of Romusha.