ANOTHER El Niño phenomenon or prolonged drought is forecast to begin in the summer months. A prudent first step would be having a contingency plan, or at least preparing the concerned government agencies to do so at the first sign of trouble. We do not want to sound alarmist but the government should act before it is too late.
A few El Niños ago, Iloilo farmers were urged to adopt the palayamanan technology that involved the planting of vegetables and growing of livestock inland in addition to rice and corn to ensure a steady supply of food. Irrigation canals were also cleared to enhance the flow of water to ricefields, especially in farming municipalities needing priority.
The national and local governments should take the cue from these past measures. The days are getting warmer. Very hot days or a long dry spell is detrimental to our agriculture and food security. Does the national government have plans for this? An emergency fund perhaps to mitigate the effects of drought in different regions?
But even in the local level, local governments must already start preparing. For example, the very least they can do is allot funds for projects and programs that ensure stable water supply and farm produce. Past experiences have shown us that aside from crops, also affected were livestock, poultry, and even the hog industry.
The Department of Agriculture should have more in place to protect farmers and traders, and consequently the consumers. The money that will be available for the drought may be used to buy seeds, build water infrastructures, and maintain livestock. These are very important not only for the farm owners but for the whole country’s economy as well.
Experts say as the temperature increases, food production decreases. Thus the El Niño phenomenon’s ill-effects should never be underestimated, especially in the agriculture sector.
