MANILA, Philippines — The heat is on.
President Benigno Aquino III has ordered his Cabinet to address the challenges brought about by this year’s El Niño, which is reported to be possibly the strongest in modern history. One of the government’s focus, according to Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, is agriculture.
Coloma said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has an El Niño action plan. The plan includes programs concentrating on production support, water management, and information dissemination.
The El Niño action plan aims to maximize and optimize production in non-threatened areas. “Hindi naman kasi 100% ay tatamaan nitong El Niño, kaya ‘yung mga hindi tatamaan, susulitin ‘yung production po natin sa mga lugar na ‘yan (El Niño won’t hit 100%, so those that won’t be hit, we will make the most of production in those areas), Coloma explained.
Another goal is to “save vulnerable areas through appropriate irrigation intervention or crop shifting using short gestation crop.” Coloma said that areas that are expected to experience extreme drought will receive irrigation support. He added that people could benefit faster from short gestation crops.
The vulnerable areas that cannot be saved would then be rehabilitated since these areas would still be needed once El Niño passes, Coloma said.
Alternative solutions
The DA would also be conducting cloud-seeding operations, in coordination with the Philippine Air Force. The operations could help distribute water in areas hit by droughts.
Another water management strategy is to “intensify implementation of alternate wetting and drying.” The DA plans to install open source pumps and alternative non-water-based irrigation systems like solar and wind pump systems for high-value crops.
High-quality rice and corn seeds would be provided to farmers, alongside other varieties like mung beans, peanuts, soybeans, cucurbits, and sweet potatoes.
On top of these, Coloma said the DA would improve its pest surveillance and monitoring.
Coloma stressed that the DA’s approach is comprehensive, not leaving behind the needs of fisheries and livestock. The department will distribute fingerlings, feeds and veterinary drugs, it will also advise farmers to plant “drought-resistant forage” as livestock feeds.
Coloma’s defense of the DA comes after Senator Franklin Drilon’s criticism that the government is not prepared enough for El Niño.
Budget
To address the impact of El Niño, the DA requested for supplemental funds of P939 million, but the money has yet to be released.
“Well, patuloy nilang hahanapan ‘yan ng appropriate funding pero mayroon pa rin naman silang puwedeng gamitin na pondo mula sa kasalukuyang budget nila, kaya tuloy-tuloy lang ‘yung pagkilos ng Department of Agriculture hinggil diyan,” Coloma explained.
(Well, we’re continuously finding appropriate funding for that, but they still have funds to use from their current budget. The Department of Agriculture is continuously working on that.)
“Ang mahalaga rito ay ‘yung handa ang DA at mayroon silang kumpleto at komprehensibong programa at hahanapan nila ng resources para mapatupad ang mga programang ito at maibsan ‘yung magiging epekto ng malubhang scenario ng El Niño,” he added.
(The important thing is the DA is ready and they have complete and comprehensive programs. They will look for resources so they can implement such programs and address the effects of the severe scenario of El Niño.)
Water conservation
Aside from government programs, Coloma stressed that water conservation among Filipinos remains a key part of the El Niño battle.
In support of water conservation, the government established a “Water Council” headed by Department Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio "Babes" Singson.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council was also directed to urge local governments to craft programs highlighting the value of water conservation. – Rappler.com
Temperature and drought images via Shutterstock