Gov't ready for El Nino - Alcala

MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday assured the public that the government is prepared for the effects of the prevailing mild El Niño in the country even as it praised farmers who have meticulously conserved water ahead of the weather phenomenon that is expected to extend the dry season.Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said that although El Niño is here, we are prepared and it will not turn out to be the sum of all our fears.”El Niño, the irregular rise in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean, is accompanied by below average rainfall.Over the past few months, Alcala has been calling on farmers and the general public to conserve water as a precautionary measure in case the country experiences a prolonged dry spell. It is wise and nice that farmers conserved water. It made them ready,” he said.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recently said the country is currently experiencing mild El Niño but added that the condition may not last long and, hopefully, not disastrous.Alcala said that even before the announcement of the state weather bureau, the DA has been taking a pro-active stance against the weather phenomenon. As early as mid-last year, DA has already reactivated its National El Niño Task Force composed of regional offices and various attached agencies and bureaus,” he said.The task force was charged to coordinate DA’s various El Niño interventions – aptly called El Niño Mitigation and Adaptation Plan – with other relevant government agencies and organizations such as the National Risk Reduction and Management Council.Funding requirement to carry out measures under the plan totaled Php1.8 billion as requested by DA before the Department of Budget of Management. Besides these earlier preparations, DA plans to fast-track the implementation of small-scale irrigation projects (SSIPs) under the National Rice Program, in collaboration with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management and DA Regional Field Units in preparation for the summer months, Alcala said.The move, he said, is part of government efforts to achieve a climate change resilient agriculture sector.He added that summer is also the opportune time for reservoirs and canals to be de-silted. Watershed degradation and increased siltation has caused a decline in stream flow and it is imperative that we integrate watershed management in the project planning and implementation,” Alcala said. Design inputs should also be reviewed and updated to include potential impacts of climate change,” he said.Likewise, he said that construction of rainwater harvesting facilities and appropriate drainage facilities should be prioritized and rural farm roads should also not be neglected. The roads should be maintained so that we can get to the proposed SSIP sites,” Alcala said.On Wednesday, the Agriculture chief has directed all DA regional offices, concerned bureaus and attached agencies nationwide to be on their toes against the impact of the phenomenon.The order includes an intensified monitoring and reporting about the status of drought incidence – possibly the initial manifestation of the phenomenon – in their respective areas, including damage estimates and proposed interventions to help affected farms recover. However, we are hoping for a minimal effect on major crops as initial reports from the field have showed that a significant number of palay and corn farmers have already harvested their crops last month.Field validation is ongoing and DA will come up with figures at the soonest possible time, Alcala said. (PNA)FPV/CMR