BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
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DUMAGUETE CITY, Apr. 22 (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 7 will conduct information campaigns on climate change adaptation in agriculture to farmers and livestock raisers in Negros Oriental.
The move aims to help farmers become prepared for the mild El Niño phenomenon which is expected to happen soon.
During a Kapihan Forum today, Jhun Acabal of the DA Region 7’s Crop Protection Center said DA is now finalizing schedules on when they will visit municipalities in the province for the information drive. But Acabal said these information caravans would probably start by May.
Part of the information drive is to encourage farmers to plant crops that can adapt to prolonged dry weather season like corn, garlic, onions, winged beans, munggo beans and pigeon peas and other varieties of sweet potatoes. Farmers are aslo advised to plant “drought-tolerant” varieties of rice.
“For them to be able to earn income, they should shift to crops that are not so water dependent,” Acabal said.
The climate change adaptation campaign will also feature tips and methods in mitigating the bad effects of prolonged dry season on irrigation areas.
On the other hand, livestock raisers are reminded to come up with short term and long term preparedness measures to protect their animals from the harmful effects of the mild El Niño.
Dr. Raul Migriño, Quarantine Office of the DA explained that short term preparedness means providing sheds to animals especially to cattles, goats, and carabaos so that they won’t be affected by too much heat while long term preparedness is supplying them with enough food during prolonged very dry season.
Migriño notes that during extreme dry climate, animals don’t eat normally because of shortage on grasses which farm animals usually eat.
The mild El Niño is expected to happen by late May to early June this year and the areas that are seen to be affected by the prolonged dry season are the towns of Basay, Siaton and Bayawan City in the south and the Vallehermoso, Canlaon City and Guihulngan City in the north.
However, the two officials dismissed thoughts that people should highly fear the expected dry spell but it would be better if they are prepared to mitigate its effects.
Acabal further said that the mild dry spell may incur damages in crop and livestock farms but they are expecting it to be at low level. He said that since it is a mild El Niño the damages are still manageable.
“This is mild compared to what we have experienced before which is a longer period of drought. Farmers should not fear it if they are prepared,” Acabal said.
“The effect is not very dramatic if talk about large scale animal production like big piggeries or people with enough financial capacity to invest on sheds and food for animals. But to those marginalized (livestock) farmers, their livelihood may be affected,” Migrinio added. (mbcn/RAL/PIA7-NEGOR)