MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has reactivated its inter-agency task force on El Niño to prepare for and mitigate its impact against the agriculture sector.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said the task force would focus on streamlining funds for projects, putting up irrigation, and conserving water when the long dry season hits later this year.

• Philippines plans for El Nino water crisis

Among their measures are installing "more water-related infrastructure such as hydroelectric power plants, flood control projects and irrigation systems," a press release read.

"Sa ngayong taon, for small-scale irrigation projects, naglaan tayo ng mahigit P750 million na pondo para dito sa tinatawag natin na water... pumps, small-scale irrigation projects, at iba-iba pang proyekto na tutugon dito sa patubig," said De Mesa.

DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban will chair the task force, noted the official. Other agencies and offices attached to the DA will be part of this.

The DA, he said, is also coordinating with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to make sure their projects are aligned with the areas that will possibly be affected by El Niño during the half part of the year.

"Nakikipag-ugnayan tayo buwan-buwan sa DOST-Pagasa, para nakikita natin 'yung trend mula noong March hanggang sa pagpasok ng... 3rd quarter at masigurado natin na ang ating buffer stocks sa seeds, irrigation... ay in place," said the official.

DROUGHT STRATEGIES

De Mesa said they already identified "drought-resistant" rice varieties that could be planted during this climate.

They also adjusted their planting calendar, just as they plan to mount cloud-seeding operations in mostly-affected areas.

"'Yan ang tinatawag nating alternate wetting and drying method para magkaroon ng pagtitipid sa paggamit ng tubig. Kasi alam natin ang bigas, palay, normally ay gumagamit ng tubig," he said.

"Isang paraan ay ang paggamit ng alternate wetting and drying technique," he added.

• El Niño may persist until 2024 - PAGASA
• Warmer days ahead: El Niño to develop in second half of 2023, says PAGASA

The task force's masterplan also include saving vulnerable areas by properly allocating water, "while irrecoverable areas will be rehabilitated," the DA said in a statement.

Farmers may also minimize using irrigation water "without sacrificing the yield" through the alternate wetting and drying method

DA said they also identified other commodities that can be planted and can be "tolerant" during the dry season.

Climate projections by PAGASA earlier showed that El Niño will begin by the third quarter of 2023 or between July and September, and will last until next year.

El Niño is the warm phase of the naturally-occurring climate pattern El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), marked by changes in wind direction and sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.

— with a report from Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC