Drought damage to Zamboanga rice fields reaches P717,000

Farmers in Zamboanga del Norte province have suffered losses totaling P717,500 due to El Niño, the first blow dealt by the weather phenomenon to the agriculture sector.

In its first El Niño bulletin, the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center said that 22 farmers and 22.25 hectares of rice fields in the province were affected by drought.

READ: DA’s first El Niño bulletin for 2024 shows P700K agri losses

The weather phenomenon is characterized by below-normal rainfall conditions, with a strong and mature El Niño likely to persist until February.

“Majority of global climate models suggest that El Niño will likely persist until the March-April-May 2024 season with a transition to Enso (El Niño-Southern Oscillation)-neutral in the April-May-June 2024 season,” the bulletin said. Enso is a climate pattern marking El Niño’s or La Niña’s absence.

The DA has implemented various measures to combat the weather phenomenon and provide appropriate intervention to affected farmers.

These include monitoring the weather conditions and actual ground situation; validating vulnerable areas; consolidating and analyzing data on planting, harvesting, and source and status of irrigation systems; and regularly disseminating advisories and agrometeorological information.

It is also undertaking a joint area assessment before conducting cloud seeding operations and promoting drought-resistant crop varieties better adapted to anticipated weather conditions during El Niño.