PILI, Camarines Sur: The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol has allotted P725 million to mitigate the impact of El Niño on farmers in the region.

The DA report said that the dry spell will likely persist until May 2024.

The region, especially in Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes, has been experiencing below normal rainfall conditions for the past two months, resulting in big losses to agricultural production.

Lovela Guarin, spokesman for DA Region 5 (Bicol Region), said that the Agriculture department in Bicol has been constantly monitoring the effect of the drought using drones to check the extent of damages.

Based on historical data, the DA in Bicol reported that the worst El Niño occurrence in the region took place in 1990 to 2020, which damaged crops worth P1.82 billion.

At least 76 percent of the damaged crops were rice and 21 percent were corn.

The provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon also experienced way below normal rainfall.Forecast rainfall from March to April favors harvesting and postharvest processing (rice and corn). However, it can reduce yield on vegetables crops as increase in temperature (>35 degrees Celsius) might reduce crop yield (rainfed and irrigated-tail end of canals).

Common pests and diseases due to high temperature (>25 C), precipitation and humidity (>80 percent) include rice blast, sheath blight, sheath rot, bacterial leaf blight, bacterial leaf streak, black bug, green leafhopper, brown planthopper, common armyworm, fall armyworm, bacterial stalk rot, thrips, lepidopterans, hopper, thrips, pod borer, bean black aphids, southern blight and bacterial wilt.

Rep. Fernando Cabredo of the third district said that for one month now, water has been scarce in upland areas preventing farmers from planting."Our farmers, specifically in upland areas and those with rainfed farmland, are facing problems if the drought continues because it will affect their harvest and delay their planting," Cabredo said.

"The aquifers are drying up. It affected our farming and drinking water in the upland areas. The main source of living and livelihood of the people in the upland areas is agriculture. They cannot replant because they rely on rainfall," Cabedo said.

"We are asking for assistance from the Department of Agriculture to help our farmers recover from their losses," he added.

The third district of Albay is the province's rice granary.

Polangui Mayor Adrian Salceda, Albay LMP president, said that four towns are affected by El Niño.

"As President of the LMP Albay, I already brought to the attention of DA Secretary Frankie Tiu Laurel Jr. the drought affecting at least 425.4 hectares of farms in the 3rd district of Albay. Secretary [Tiu] Laurel and I met on January 25, when weather predictions already suggested an upcoming El Niño," Salceda said.

"We are working with the DA to immediately address the needs of affected farmers, through the following: fast-tracked distribution of the rice farmer financial assistance under the Rice Tariffication Law; endorsement of the local government unit and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) requests for augmentation of water supply in affected farms; and fast-tracked processing of claims with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation for damaged crops if any," the mayor said.

Salceda said that he is working with the mayors in Libon, Oas and Pioduran affected by the ongoing drought to protect the people of Albay from hunger and high food prices.

Guarin said that the potential impact in the agriculture sector of drought will affect 113,354 hectares (ha), covering rice with 68,749 ha; corn, 22,525 ha; and high-value crops or HVC with 17,080 ha.

According to the department, over 64,000 rice and corn farmers are possibly affected.To mitigate the impact of El Niño in Bicol, the DA allotted a P725-million budget for 2024, Guarin said.

About P654 million of the budget will go to the NIA while the DA gets P71.74 million.

The 2023 inventory of irrigation facilities includes a solar-powered irrigation system with 29 units serving 466 hectares and small-scale irrigation projects servicing 1,753 ha.