The Department of Agriculture (DA) and agencies comprising the Interagency Task for on El Nino, has implemented measures mitigating the projected impact of a prolonged dry spell on food production, including farmers and fisherfolk who may be adversely affected by the weather phenomenon.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said interventions include repair and rehabilitation of irrigation canals, cloud-seeding, dispersal of farm animals and provision of alternative livelihoods to farmers and fishermen, implementation of low-water use technology for rice farming and quick-turnaround strategy.
“We are leaving no stones unturned in our effort to ease the impact of El Nino on our farmers and fishermen as well as consumers by ensuring food production is sufficient and supply is secure during the expected dry spell that could affect a majority of provinces and millions who depend on agriculture and fisheries,” Laurel said.
Laurel said of the target 843 kilometers in irrigation canals, 740 kilometers have been improved and constructed as of November while 40 units of small-scale irrigation systems covering 1,477.5 hectares have been repaired and rehabilitated to distribute water more effectively and efficiently.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Soil and Water Management has requested P112 million for cloud-seeding operations in 2024 to supplement the water requirement of standing crops during periods of low rainfall.
Cloud-seeding operations will be undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of National Defense, which will provide information for optimum cloud-seeding operations, including provision of aircraft.
Through the Philippine Native Animal Development Program, the DA will distribute a total 56,169 animals to 297 farmer groups and 470 individual farmers. Alternative livelihood and technologies adaptive to climate change will be provided to fishermen in Bicol, Central Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.
Laurel said the DA look to convince more rice farmers to use alternative wetting and drying technology to save water. He said the technology had been successfully used by over 1.2 million farmers and implemented on 9,210 hectares of rice field.
The agriculture chief said 17,660 hectares of rice fields have been targeted under the quick-turnaround strategy where rice farmers immediately replant rice without waiting for months to take advantage of the remaining moisture in the soil.
Laurel said the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. has been tasked to indemnify affected farmers, and that between June and November this year has insured 1.27 million farmers or 76 percent of the target group. Between January and June next year, PCIC has set aside P1.8 billion as insurance cover for 916,759 farmers and fishermen.
He also said the PCIC has set aside P500 million as credit support under its Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agriculture Credit Policy Council for 20,000 borrowers who may be affected by calamities, including the El Nino phenomenon.
