The Department of Agriculture (DA) has implemented measures to mitigate the impact of the expected prolonged dry spell on food production. 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said interventions undertaken by agencies under the DA include the repair and rehabilitation of irrigation canals, cloud-seeding, dispersal of farm animals and provision of alternative livelihoods to farmers and fishermen, implementation of low-water use technology for rice farming and quick-turnaround strategy.

“We are leaving no stones unturned in our effort to ease the impact of El Nino on our farmers and fishermen as well as consumers by ensuring food production is sufficient and supply is secure during the expected dry spell that could affect a majority of provinces and millions who depend on agriculture and fisheries,” Laurel said.

Out of 843 kilometers of target irrigation canals, 740 kilometers have been improved and constructed as of November.

Forty units of small-scale irrigation systems covering 1,477.5 hectares have been repaired and rehabilitated to distribute water more effectively and efficiently.

Cloud-seeding operations

The DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management has requested a total of P112 million for cloud-seeding operations for 2024 to supplement the water requirement of standing crops during periods of low rainfall.

Cloud-seeding operations will be done in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of National Defense (DND).

DOST will provide data on optimum cloud-seeding operations while DND will provide the aircraft.

Through the Philippine Native Animal Development Program, the DA will distribute a total 56,169 animals to 297 farmer groups and 470 individual farmers.

Alternative livelihood and technologies adaptive to climate change will be provided to fishermen in Bicol, Central Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

Laurel said the DA will entice more rice farmers to use alternative wetting and drying technology to save water.

He said the technology has been successfully used by over 1.2 million farmers and implemented on 9,210 hectares of rice field.

The agriculture chief said 17,660 hectares of rice fields have been targeted for the implementation of the quick-turnaround strategy, wherein all rice farmers will immediately replant rice without waiting for months to take advantage of the remaining moisture in the soil.

Crop insurance

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has been tasked to indemnify affected farmers.

Between June and November 2023, PCIC has insured 1.27 million farmers or 76 percent of the target group.

PCIC has set aside P1.8 billion to insure a total 916,759 farmers and fishermen between January and June 2024.

The agency has also set aside P500 million as credit support under its Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agriculture Credit Policy Council for 20,000 borrowers who may be affected by calamities, including the El Niño phenomenon. 

“We received reports that around 100,000 tons of imported rice has already arrived in the country. This is part of the 495,000 metric tons committed by import permit holders to Secretary Tiu Laurel,” Navarro said.

A total 20,000 bags, equivalent to 1,000 metric tons of rice delivered before Christmas Day was the first batch of the 40,000 bags of rice donated by Taiwan, Navarro added.

Within the last week of December 2023 and early January 2024, Navarro said 75,000 metric tons of rice will arrive from India.

India banned the export of non-basmati white rice last July to stabilize domestic supply and prices.

In October, however, India approved the export of over 1 million metric tons to seven countries, with the Philippines getting over 28 percent of the export allocation.

“The 75,000 metric tons due in the coming weeks is part of the 295,000 metric tons of rice India has allocated to the Philippines,” Navarro said.

With the arrival of imported rice and the volume harvested by farmers in recent months, Navarro said the country will have sufficient supply of the national food staple until the next harvest which starts in March.

National rice consumption is around 36,000 metric tons per day, or around 1.08 million tons per month.

Economic managers, especially the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), are closely. watching the rice supply situation due to its impact on inflation.

The BSP has aggressively raised interest rates since last year to tame inflation, which affects the purchasing power of consumers and undermines economic growth. (MYP/PIA Cebu with reports from the Department of Agriculture)