Photo courtesy of Mary Judaline F. Partlow/PNA
The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Negros Island Region has prepared measures to help farmers reduce possible losses from El Niño.
DA-NIR said it had available buffer stocks of rice and corn seeds that could withstand moderate dry conditions, although these were not fully drought-resistant.
The agency also encouraged farmers, especially those in areas with limited irrigation, to shift to intercropping and plant vegetables that can survive longer dry spells.
Bernard Limbaga, chief of the Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office in Negros Oriental, said the DA-NIR had anticipated the effects of El Niño even before Pagasa formally declared its onset.
Limbaga said the agency had been monitoring irrigation canals to guide farmers on whether water supplies should be used immediately or redirected to areas with greater need.
The DA-NIR was also preparing for possible pest infestations, including army worms that could damage corn and sugarcane farms, with chemicals available if manual clearing would no longer be enough.
Limbaga urged farmers to register with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, saying only insured farmers may receive government assistance for crop losses caused by El Niño and other disasters.
Metro Dumaguete Water also assured consumers that supply remained adequate despite the dry spell threat, saying recent low pressure and service interruptions were linked to system upgrades. The utility said it would open its 23rd pumping station in Barangay Candauay in the third quarter to improve water distribution.