Officials assess cloud seeding need in NegOcc

PERSONNEL of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) are currently assessing whether there’s already a need for cloud seeding operation in Negros Occidental.

Dina Genzola, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Wednesday, March 20, said the team from the DA and BSWM conducted the assessment in the south of the province, including Cauayan town, with rice farms affected by the prevailing dry spell associated with the El Niño phenomenon.

After meeting Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City Wednesday, Genzola said the personnel will then continue the assessment for the north and central parts within the remaining days of the week.

“We could expect the result of the assessment a week after, but initially the BSWM and DA people have seen the need for a cloud seeding in the entire province,” she also said.

The OPA earlier reported an initial crop damage worth almost P16 million due to the ongoing dry spell.

The figure covers 408.53 hectares of rice farms affecting 445 farmers in five local government units (LGUs).

This is on top of the P12 million worth of production losses brought by pest infestation particularly black bugs and rice grain bugs.

Genzola added that based on the BSWM regulation, the province only needs at least 1,000 hectares of potential agricultural farms that can still be “saved” for a cloud seeding operation to be recommended.

She said Negros Occidental has about 189,000-hectare sugarcane and 65,000-hectare rice farms, and many of these agricultural areas still have planted crops.

“It would still depend on the result of their assessment,” she said, adding that in terms of budget, DA 6 already allotted P2.5 million for cloud seeding operation in the province.

The OPA added the DA and BSWM personnel, as part of their assessment, are also considering where exactly to start the cloud seeding.

“We are recommending to have it in the northern part first so it won’t affect the mango plantation in the nearby province of Guimaras in preparation for the latter’s Manggahan Festival in May,” Genzola said.

Though, proper coordination has yet to be done, she added.

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