Maize productivity in Indonesia is relatively low (3.66 t/ha), yet in some provinces it rises above 4.0 t/ha. This higher productivity is due to farmers' adoption of production technology, including the use of improved maize varieties. This paper describes the progress of the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development's breeding program to develop several improved maize varieties in Indonesia.

This study explores the feasibility of weather index insurance (WII) in providing cost-effective risk management benefits to rural people for coping with catastrophic events. It uses a case study on drought coverage for maize production in three provinces in eastern Indonesia: East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and East Lombok. Prototype WII contracts were developed for selected areas within these provinces. The contracts were found to provide appropriate coverage for crop losses resulting from rainfall deficit, but the estimated premiums for farmers would be expensive.

Lampung is the primary cassava producing region in Indonesia, yet the province regularly experiences prolonged dry periods. This study examines drought tolerance for varietal selection prior to distribution, assessing the potential impact of drought (two or more months of <100mm rainfall) on root yield, starch yield and content in five selected varieties. Trial design comprised a 0.1ha plot of each variety (no replication) with sub-plots of staggered planting dates to impose dry periods at different growth stages.