P155M in losses seen as farms dry up

KORONADAL CITY—Farms in several areas in Mindanao are drying up and damage to crops in at least two provinces has reached P155 million, according to officials.

As the dry spell continues to worsen, agriculture officials say they are now seriously considering the conduct of cloud-seeding operations to salvage surviving crops, even if the measure entails huge expenses.

Engineer Eliseo Mangliwan, North Cotabato provincial agriculturist, says the damage to crops in the province has been estimated at P68 million since the dry spell started early this year.

In addition to rice and corn, high-value crops such as banana, cacao and coffee have also wilted beyond recovery.

Mangliwan says the drought has so far affected 4,539 farmers.

He says he has recommended cloud seeding to the Department of Agriculture.

In South Cotabato, an agriculture official says the drought has destroyed P88 million worth of high-value crops.

Justina Navarette, South Cotabato provincial agriculturist, says the dry spell has already damaged 1,379 hectares of corn fields and 280 hectares of rice fields.

Navarette says the dry spell has also triggered attacks by rodents, which aggravated farmers’ suffering.

Amid the dry spell, the provincial government of North Cotabato says it is trying to put up as many water systems as possible to ensure residents of a supply of safe drinking water.

Among the water systems recently completed and turned over is the one built in Barangay Perez in Kidapawan City.

The governor’s office says the construction of the water systems will alleviate water shortage in villages.

Similar projects has also been recently turned over to Barangay Libertad and Barangay Biangan in Makilala town and in Magpet town.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza says water systems are “what the people need most and they have it now.”

The Metro Kidapawan Water District (MKWD) admits that the dry spell is threatening the city’s sources of water and urges residents to reduce, reuse or recycle water.

Zaldy Alqueza, MKWD assistant manager, says some areas may experience a reduction in water supply as supply from springs has been reduced by at least 25 percent.

Kidapawan is at the foot of Mt. Apo and MKWD has always relied on natural sources to supply water to the city’s 126,000 residents and about 78,000 in nearby Makilala, North Cotabato.

Governor Mendoza says water systems were included in the list of priority projects of the provincial government.

She says a water reservoir project worth P500,000 was also turned over to residents of the remote villages of Bagumbayan, Sallab and Kinurum in Magpet town.

At least 12 other water system projects are being constructed in the province, said the governor. Edwin Fernandez and Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao