BAGUIO CITY, Jan. 8 (PIA) – – With the forecast of what the El Niño can bring to farmers and livestock growers, the Department of Agriculture assures that mitigation plan and funds are set in the regions.
DA Cordillera Regional Director Dr. Lorenzo Caranguian, in an interview over DZEQ Radyo ng Bayan, disclosed that with the impact of El Niño expected to be felt this first or second quarter of 2016, the agriculture department already made estimates and forecast of damage as well as mitigation plans.
Caranguian shared that DA’s estimate based from the projection of municipal and provincial agriculture offices nationwide, will affect around 23,640 hectares of rice, corn and high value crops planting areas which will result to production loss of around 31,354 metric tons of rice corn and high value crops.
For Cordillera, he shared that the region is far better than the other areas in the country as the tail end of the cold front and past typhoons have brought colder weather and rains in the region which is beneficial to the agriculture sector.
Nevertheless, Caranguian assured that P62 million worth of mitigation projects are approved for the Cordillera region and that they are now only waiting for the fund release.
The mitigation projects he said includes optimization of production in non-vulnerable areas through provision of certified seed for rice and hybrid seeds for corn, and provision of seedling trays, coco coir dust (sowing media), compost and plastic mulch for high value crops, as well water and crop pest management projects and other production support.
For livestock, mitigation projects to be implemented include provision of biologics such as multi-vitamins, vaccines, antibiotics and dewormer.
Caranguian also advises farmers and livestock workers to do their part and do also mitigation projects on their own if they are already feeling the effect of El Niño.
He urged farmers who have resources to start their own mitigation projects now and do not wait for the government intervention.JDP/CCD with reports from DA – RAFIS
