By Leilanie Adriano
BATAC CITY – Ilocos Norte is taking another step toward smarter, more productive and climate-resilient agriculture with the establishment of the province’s first automated weather station (AWS), providing timely weather information to guide farm operations and improve crop management.
Located in Sitio Capaoayan, Barangay Tabug here, the facility is expected to help farmers plan planting schedules, manage irrigation and determine the appropriate timing for applying fertilizers and pesticides based on prevailing weather conditions, according to the city government here, which initiated the project in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The weather data generated by the station can also support the preparation of agricultural advisories, allowing farmers to anticipate changing weather patterns and take precautionary measures against extreme weather events.
“Through this initiative, the city government of Batac and the DOST continue to bring science and technology closer to farming communities, supporting climate-smart and resilient agriculture,” Mayor Mark Christian Chua said in a statement on Monday.
Jenny Onera, an integrated farm owner in Barangay Quiom, said they are grateful to have one in the city.
“Through project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry), DOST Ilocos Region continues to advance the application of science, technology and innovation in agriculture,” the DOST said in a statement.
City agriculturist Allan Abad, in a separate interview, said access to reliable and localized weather information is increasingly important as farmers face changing climate conditions, prolonged dry spells, heavy rainfall and other weather-related risks.
Abad said that local farmers in the area are being taught simple and practical solutions to protect crops from stress, save water, and ensure steady food harvest amid dry spells and water shortages.
“We are conducting farmers’ field school in Batac’s farming villages. We have done it so far in Barangays Baay, Colo, Payao and Mabaleng,” he said. (PNA)
