THE Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) is intensifying its various programs, particularly mitigation measures, to recover the rice production output of Negros Occidental amid the developing La Niña phenomenon.
Latest report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed that dry spell associated with El Niño has caused almost P241 million in damage and losses to the province’s rice production.
The amount is part of the total damage and losses, totaling about P450 million, to the province’s agro-fishery sector.
DA-NIR Executive Director Renato Manantan said that like during El Niño, necessary measures are being taken with the onset of rainy season to allay possible adverse effects.
Manantan said the province is assured of 1,200 bags of rice seeds amounting to P1.6 million as buffer stocks for wet period.
“This is 10 percent of the region’s average total requirement of 12,000 bags,” Manantan said.
He added that even though agricultural lands, particularly rice plantations in Negros Occidental, are not that really vulnerable to flooding unlike of provinces in Luzon, “we still have to brace for it and put necessary measures in place.”
DA-NIR, through the city and municipal agriculture offices, is also intensifying the implementation of the High Yielding Technology Adaptation (Hyta) program.
The measure includes demonstrations among local farmers on the use of high-yielding varieties and technologies which can increase rice production output.
“We assist the LGUs in further strengthening the program,” Manantan said, adding that “with the damage and losses incurred during the first half of the year, we really have to increase our rice output during the rainy season to recover.”
State-weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) last Tuesday officially declared the onset of rainy season.
The Provincial Disaster Program Management Division (PDMPD) had earlier said the declaration of the onset of rainy season does not include the official start of La Niña, which normally brings above normal rainfall.
PDMPD said the weather is currently on “neutral or transition stage” thus, the province can still experience the residual effects of El Niño, which is on its decaying stage, while La Niña is now on the rising or developing stage.