DA-6: No need to declare state of calamity in WV
Despite the possible damage of the prolonged dry season due to El Niño, there’s no need to declare a state of calamity in Western Visayas.
In a press conference over the weekend, Department of Agriculture (DA) VI Regional Executive Director Larry Nacionales explained that the rice planted now is already on its third cropping.
“Most of the farmers have harvested their crops last January,” he said adding that the existing crops for the entire region that cover around 42,000 hectares are part of the so-called bonus planting for the farmers.
“As far as drying season is concerned, those crops planted in the months October, November and December had been harvested last January,” he said adding, “so, ang losses nga ginatan-aw naton on existing crops available, particularly in Capiz and Aklan, amo ang pinakamadamo kay tungod ang ila climatic condition is just like in Region 8 kay ang ila dry season, daw wet season didto sa ila ya.”
Based on DA-6 records, 32,300.76 hectares of planted crops have been affected in Region VI.
Of the said statistics, 11,031.92 hectares are considered as totally affected while 21,268.84 hectares are partially damaged.
This is converted to around 72,712.64 metric tons in losses or P68,549,204.66 on total losses on cost of input and a total value of P635,546,869.95.
For this dry season, Nacionales presented that the target of production is 681,839 metric tons.
However, DA-6 is projecting a 10.66% reduction to the projected dry season based on target area.
Most of these areas are in Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, he added.
DA-6 also records some 29,177 affected farmers.
“Indi ta mapunggan ang mga farmers ka yang indicators sang mga farmers, kung may tubig matanom gid sila. So, kung nagtanom sila this January and February, that will become vulnerable areas for the month or March and April,” Nacionales projected.
He claimed that this is what the National Irrigation Administration and the local government units (LGUs) are looking into right now.
“At least ang mga stressed problems to reduce yield, ma minimize,” he added.
He added that complementing assistance of different agencies have already been mapped out na map out.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have their own program while Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have their own livelihood assistance for affected families.
As this developed, DA-6 reminded farmers to go into vegetable farming instead of rice.
“Indi na sila mag tanom sang rice, especially in Iloilo,” he added.
The DA-6 also released some mitigation plans for El Niño.
These plans will enable the farmers to protect the areas that where already planted from the adverse effects of the lack of water at the critical stages of crop growth; reduce the possible production and yield losses from moisture stress and pest inpestations that may occur from this climatic aberration; and assist farmers to engage in alternative livelihood.
