| Description | The Department of Agriculture has provided a total of PhP 379.06M worth of assistance to affected farmers. Among the assistance provided were high value crops with less water requirement (e.g. mungbean) to affected farmers in Iloilo and Negros Occidental amounting to PhP 990,000. Moreover, the Department distributed hybrid rice seeds worth PhP 7.87 million and fertilizers worth PhP 7.63 million to non-vulnerable areas in Western Visayas for maximization of production to compensate for the losses. Also, financial assistance from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program has been given to 71,795 farmers in Mimaropa Region, with a total amount of PhP 362.56 million.On the other hand, a total of 35 rice and 16 corn farmers in Ilocos, Central Luzon and Mimaropa regions have been indemnified by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) with a total amount of PhP 1.24 million. DA is continuously coordinating with the concerned for the provision and fast-tracking of financial assistance to affected farmers.Meanwhile, the DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), in collaboration with relevant agencies like the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) and Department of National Defense-Philippine Air Force (DND-PAF), is conducting cloud seeding operations to ease water shortage, targeting agricultural areas in Southern Cagayan and Northern Isabela. As a result, light to moderate rainfall is experienced over these areas. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has installed 570 water augmentation pumps in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas regions ensuring that there is water source in these areas prior to installation. Concreting of irrigation canals is also on-going, which improved 847.82 kilometers of irrigation canals, benefitting 40,621 farmers nationwide. Further, desiltation of irrigation canals is being undertaken, improving water low of 3,167.95 kilometers of irrigation canals nationwide.Farmers are continuously adopting the alternate wetting-and-drying method that reduced water consumption in 162,623 hectares of agricultural areas. Furthermore, the quick turnaround strategywas also implemented, benefiting 3,878.15 hectares of agricultural areas and 1,657 farmers in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa and Soccsksargen. DA Regional Field Offices in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Mimaropa regions have started endorsing the list of affected farmers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Labor and Employment for other forms of assistance such as provision of food packs and cash for work programs. The latest El Niño bulletin estimates damage and losses to farms in eight (8) regions: Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen at P1.75 billion with 29,437 farmers affected. Potential production losses from 32,231 hectares affected by the dry spell are estimated at 48,332 metric tons for palay, 18,966 MT for corn, and 7,794 MT for high value crops. The affected rice area of 18,651 hectaresis 1.94% of the total target area planted of 960,864.48 hectares, while the production loss of 48,332 MT is equivalent to around 0.52% of the target production of 9,218,358.28 MT, both for the dry cropping season this 2024. As for corn, area affected by the dry spell is at 11,382 hectares or 1.03% of the total target areaplanted of 1,101,695.90 hectares, while the production loss of 18,966 MT is 0.42% of targetproduction of 4,493,026.90 MT, both for the dry cropping season this 2024.The DA-DRRM Operations Center will continuously provide updates regarding the effects of El Niño.For inquiries, you may contact(02) 8929-0140 / 09616965099. |
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