DA prepares bigger food buffer amid Super El Niño threat

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing a bigger food buffer to cushion the impact of a potentially strong El Niño, with the agency warning that overall agricultural production could still decline.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is expanding rice storage capacity and opening more cold storage facilities as it prepares for possible supply disruptions.

“The National Food Authority now has 365 active warehouses, up from around 300, after renting an additional 165 facilities. The expanded storage network, including silos and other warehouses, is expected to help the country ride out potential supply disruptions,” the DA said in a statement.

The department also said new cold storage facilities were being opened to increase the country's capacity to extend the shelf life of meat and vegetables.

Cloud-seeding operations are also underway in drought-affected areas such as Isabela and Negros, Tiu Laurel said.

He added that the DA would conduct cloud-seeding flights whenever cloud formations contain enough moisture to produce rainfall.

State weather bureau PAGASA has warned that the upcoming El Niño could last until March or even June. Around 40 provinces are expected to experience below-normal rainfall during the dry spell, with the number potentially doubling by January.

Temperatures are also expected to rise during the period, with PAGASA forecasting temperatures ranging from 3 C to 38.7 C.

The DA earlier said it would adopt a “scientific” approach to mitigate the impact of the potentially strong El Niño, with nearly P10 billion allocated for fuel and fertilizer subsidies, as well as solar-powered irrigation projects.

The agency said it was also shifting toward foliar and soil ameliorants, including bio-based, non-urea products, while tailoring interventions to local conditions.

While the DA plans to increase fertilizer application and seed distribution in areas suitable for planting, Tiu Laurel said the department was preparing for the worst-case scenario.

“At the end of the day, we are looking at the worst-case scenario, so we expect that overall production will still be lower,” Tiu Laurel said.

Task Force

Meanwhile, Senator Erwin Tulfo said that there must be a task force that would work on mitigation measures beyond protecting farmers and land irrigation.

“A task force must be more than a coordinating body. It must have a clear plan, clear responsibilities, and, most importantly, the resources to act before the crisis paralyzes our communities,” he said in a statement.

"Let us not wait for our fields to turn to ash, our taps to run dry, and our people to collapse from the heat before we scramble for solutions. We have the science. We have the warnings. It is time to stop managing disasters after they happen, and start executing a decisive, proactive survival strategy,” Tulfo added. — MCG/RF, GMA News

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