Negros Occidental conducts 55 cloud seeding sorties
BACOLOD CITY — Since the start of the cloud seeding operation first week of February, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, this province, has conducted 55 sorties as of February 21.
So far OPA has noted heavy and moderate rain occurrences in Sipalay, Binalbagan, and E.B. Magalona as well as areas within Mount Mandalagan which has benefited farmers in the areas.
Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco instructed OPA during the Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting to fly and conduct cloud seeding operations for as long as there are appropriate cloud formations to ease woes of the farmers.
High temperature, strong wind velocity and absence of seedable cloud formations are among the factors that can stall or halt an operation.
Meanwhile, OPA has entered into a memorandum with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management for counterpart funding in the implementation of El Niño mitigation measures in the province.
BSWM and BFAR will also install 6,000 units of shallow tube wells and pumps or engine sets for fisheries, which will cover 18,000 hectares of El Niño-affected areas in 47 provinces, and establish open source wells for community food gardens producing high value commercial crops (HVCCs).
These 47 provinces include those identified by DA as highly vulnerable and 24 moderately vulnerable areas in the country.
The DA is also pursuing nationwide cloud seeding operations not just for agriculture but also to fill up dams and rivers as these sources are drying up due to the El Niño phenomenon. (PIA/EAD)
