Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR, Oct 14 (PIA) --
The Department of Agriculture in Region 7 (DA-7) called on all Siquijodnons to
prepare for El Niño which started since October 2014 and will continue to
affect the country until the first quarter of next year.
Regional Technical Director for
research and regulatory Joel T. Elumba said the Philippines has
experienced El Niño before, but based on historical data, this year’s
episode is said to be the worst since 1998 so that the government has
coordinated efforts of the different agencies to acquire technology and extend
support to affected sectors as mitigation and adaptation measures.
El Niño, he said, has great
implications on food security so that everyone has to take part in the
preparation, mitigation, and adaptation efforts of the government.
Elumba said possible water shortage
in the coming months due to El Niño is possible as it significantly
affects the vegetables and crops production.
Food security is highly dependent on
climate, he said.
“Ang pagpangandam, pagpananom,
pagpamuhi ug hayop dili lamang katungdanan sa mag-uuma (preparation,
planting and livestock raising is not just the farmers’
responsibility)," said Elumba as he urged Siquijodnons to
practice “edible landscaping” and “diversified farming” to prepare for El Niño.
Instead of growing flowers and other
ornamental plants, Elumba encouraged planting of vegetables and other food
crops especially during drought.
He also encouraged farmers to
adopt diversified farming system to become resilient, citing studies that
farmers who are into monocropping are not resilient to calamities.
LGUs are also told to prepare
localized El Niño mitigation plans.
Elumba tackled the DA
Programs/Projects Implementing Guidelines 2016; Agri-Fishery Development
Framework 2010-2016; and Municipal Agriculturual Development Plan during the El
Niño Mitigation Information Campaign and Farmers’ Forum held recently at the
Siquijor State College in Larena, Siquijor. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor)