BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The regional El Niño Task Force on Food Security, chaired by the Department of Agriculture- Cordillera (DA-CAR), intensifies efforts to mitigate the effects of El Niño in the region.
DA-CAR Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Lito Mocati said the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is now focused on the repair of irrigation canals, construction of diversion dams and introduction of solar power irrigation systems, among others.
“Maar-aramid ti repair dagitoy irrigation canals tayo, construction iti diversion dams, dagitoy small water impounding projects, spring development, ken panag-distribute kadagitoy irrigation hose [The irrigation canals are being repaired, diversion dams are constructed, small water impounding projects, spring development, and distribution of irrigation hose],” Mocati said.
The NIA reported that while the water supply is stable at present, certain water sources have experienced a noticeable decrease. Mocati noted that because of the below-average rainfall, there won’t be much water available next year.
For this reason, the NIA planned the release of water to irrigation facilities on a scheduled basis to ensure that farmers have access to sufficient water for their crops, mitigating the potential impact of the anticipated water shortage. He encouraged farmers to not depend on government assistance but to do remedial measures if they can, especially with rice lands at the end of irrigation canals.
DA-CAR DRRM Officer Lito Mocati talks about the efforts of the El Niño Task Force to ensure food security amid the phenomenon during the Usapang PIA teleradyo program on Thursday, December 15, 2023 over Z Radio in Baguio City.
Mocati also reported that the Rice Program of DA-CAR procured drought-tolerant seeds that are up for distribution to areas with problems with irrigation. DA is also recommending to farmers to shift to other crops like mongo, peanuts, and vegetables that can withstand dry conditions and require less water for growth.
Mocati called on the local government units to monitor the situation in their areas of responsibility and report the effects of El Niño to the DA for immediate action. The collaborative effort between the DA and the LGUs will enable effective response measures to be implemented, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and effective mitigation strategies.
Recently, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with concerned government agencies to discuss several initiatives to mitigate the impact of El Niño, including the implementation of an action plan to ensure water security, food security, energy security, health security, and public safety amid the said phenomenon.
Based on El Niño Advisory No. 6 released by PAGASA, a strong El Niño is present in the tropical Pacific and has further intensified, nearing its peak in the coming months as sea surface temperature anomalies have reached more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. The majority of global climate models suggest that El Niño will likely persist until the second quarter of 2024.
PAGASA said that over the past five months of rainfall deficits, six provinces have experienced a meteorological dry spell or three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall conditions, including the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao, while the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Mountain Province are among the provinces that have experienced dry conditions or below-normal rainfall conditions for two consecutive months. All the provinces in Cordillera, except for Abra, are expected to experience dry spell conditions by the end of December 2023.
Mocati emphasized that the public should not be complacent because based on the forecast of PAGASA, below-normal rainfall conditions will be experienced in a large part of Luzon until May 2024. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)
