Agri damage due to El Niño reaches P2.63B, assistance to farmers at P1.08B —DA

The damage and losses incurred by the agriculture sector due to the El Niño phenomenon reached over P2 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.

Citing its bulletin as of April 1, the DA said damage to farms in 10 regions —Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen— stood at P2.63 billion, affecting 54,203 farmers. 

A total of 53,879 hectares of farm lands were affected by El Niño, 81.01% or 43,648 hectares of which have a chance of recovery while 10,231 hectares have no chance of recovery.

In terms of volume, a total of 116,792 metric tons of production loss across rice, corn, and other agricultural produce such as high-value crops and livestock.

Rice is the most affected crop with a total value loss of P1.72 billion from a total of 72,733 metric tons of damaged rice crops in 34,264 hectares of El Niño-hit rice fields.

Value losses to corn stood at P591.74 million while volume damage reached 35,885 metric tons in 16,956 hectares of land.

For high-value crops, the damage and losses amounted to P326.68 million while volume of production loss was at 8,173 metric tons in a total area of 2,659 hectares.

Meanwhile, damage and losses incurred by the livestock sub-sector totaled P59,600, accounting for 32 heads of chicken, cattle, carabao, and goat died due to El Niño.

The DA said it provided assistance to affected farmers which amounted to P1.08 billion.

“These include distribution of high value crops with less water requirement (e.g. mungbean) in Iloilo and Negros Occidental amounting to P990,000,” it said.

“Moreover, the department provided hybrid rice seeds worth P7.87 million and fertilizers worth P7.63 million to non-vulnerable areas in Western Visayas, and corn seeds worth P1.16 million in Ilocos Region for maximization of production to compensate for incurred losses,” it added.

The DA said financial assistance from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program has been given to 139,002 farmers in Cagayan Valley amounting to P701.96 million, and 71,795 farmers in Mimaropa Region totaling P362.56 million. 

Through the Philippine Native Animal Development (PNAD) Program, the agency said it has distributed a total of 60,013 native animals to 334 groups and 534 individual farmers nationwide.

Moreover, a total of 994 farmers in Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen regions have been indemnified by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) with a total amount of P10.20 million. 

DA said it is continuously coordinating with the concerned offices for the provision and fast-tracking of financial assistance to affected farmers.

To mitigate possible losses in fisheries, the agency said a total of 111 diversified alternative livelihoods and technologies have been provided by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to fisherfolk in Cordillera, Bicol, Central Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula Regions.  

It added that the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), in collaboration with relevant agencies like the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) and Department of National Defense-Philippine Air Force (DND-PAF), “continuously conducts cloud seeding operations to ease water shortage, targeting corn areas in Southern Cagayan, Northern Isabela, and Quirino.”

“As a result, light to moderate rainfall is experienced in municipalities in these provinces, resulting to a 100% overall success rate of the operations,” the DA said.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), meanwhile, has installed 570 water augmentation pumps in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas regions ensuring that there is water source in these areas prior to installation. 

The DA said concreting of irrigation canals is ongoing, of which 847.82 kilometers of irrigation canals have been improved, benefitting 40,621 farmers nationwide. 

The agency added that desiltation of irrigation canals is also being undertaken, “improving water flow of 3,167.95 kilometers of irrigation canals nationwide.”

Likewise, regional field offices in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Mimaropa regions have endorsed the list of affected farmers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Labor and Employment for other forms of assistance such as provision of food packs and cash for work programs.—AOL, GMA Integrated News