WITH the expected El Niño phenomenon, farmers and fisherfolk in Davao Region are taking proactive measures to prepare for its potential impact on their crops.
El Niño is a weather pattern characterized by warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which can lead to droughts and other extreme weather conditions.
Evelyn Castillo, a rice and vegetable farmer in Calinan, Davao City said most of the farmers in their area had enough experience to cope with the droughts - with the last one that greatly affected them was back in 2015.
However, despite being "used to" in preparing, some farmers are still in need of enough water to sustain and maintain the supply of crops.
"Sa mga basakan, sa mga ricefield during El Niño hinay jud ang mga production nila tungod apektado tungod aning hulaw ni ginaingon (At the ricefields, we expect that production will be affected because they will need water)," Castillo, also a Kadiwa farmer, said in an interview with VoxPop Davao.
For both rice and vegetables, she said for producing vegetables, they can dig wells to obtain water, but for rice fields, it might not be enough. Although some areas are irrigated, they still rely on water pumps to provide the necessary water for their crops.
"Siguro nindot na naay mga water pump para mabutangan jud siya og tubig (Maybe it's nice to have water pumps to fill the wetlands with water)," she added.
Meanwhile, Julius Macarine, a cacao farmer and Maragusan Multi-Purpose Cooperative processing in-charge, said the cacao industry has been catching up with the rise of its demand.
However, as the town is a summer capital, he said the farmers will be taking advantage of the heat in producing more cacao. They will also consider not over-pruning or cutting too many branches or leaves from the cacao tree, which can harm its growth and reduce its ability to produce cocoa beans.
"Kay shempre kung ma-over pruning siya ang sidlak sa adlaw ma-direct sa mga branches so naay tendency na katong mga bulak na instead na mahimo pang bunga dili na magpadayon, mamatay na,"
Jess, surname withheld as requested, a fisherman for around 30 years in Tibungco, Davao City, said the droughts had caused them to decrease in production for years.
With the pelargic fishing ban in place during the anticipated El Nino, he said it needs the discipline to ensure it can sustain fish production.
"Di ko makaingon na andam ta pero ang importante ang kuha nato igo-igo lang aron walay malata na isda sa umaabot (I can't really say that we are fully prepared but I think we just need to produce what we need, so the stock will not get spoiled)," he said.
The Philippines has experienced several instances of El Niño over the years. One of the significant ones was in 2015, causing significant damage to agricultural production by P15.2 billion worth of damages and affecting over 556,000 hectares of agricultural land according to the Handbook of Climate Change Resilience published 2016.
Consequently, numerous provinces, cities, and municipalities were declared under a state of calamity.
The Department of Agriculture - Davao Region (DA-Davao) is readying to fund farmers in case El Nino will hardly affect the region.
Government Interventions
Celso Vergara, DA-Davao public relations officer, said in an interview that the Department of Agriculture - Davao Region (DA-Davao) will be prioritizing their buffer stocking of seedlings and support to the farmers.
The agency will also prioritize vegetables and other vulnerable crops. Irrigation and water supply must also be assured before the drought comes.
"Kung unsa man tong vulnerable crops, didto nato ibuhos tanang projects and mitigate the impact (We will prioritize more projects and mitigate the impact for these vulnerable crops)," Vergara said.
"Didto naman sa non-vulnerable [crops] suportahan gihapon nato sila didto kay kato ilang production pag magtaas sila man ang magsuporta sa mga vulnerable (For non-vulnerable crops we will still support their production, as they will be filling in the vulnerable crops' deficit)," Vergara added.
Meanwhile, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar-Davao) regional director said despite El Nino's bigger chance of happening, there will be "enough fishes" in the waters of Davao Region.
He also said despite the hot weather, the aquaculture sector in the region remains safe - it should not also "greatly affect" the fisherfolks in the region. However, fisherfolks must also adapt to the environment and find innovative ways of fishing.
"As for El Niño, more on adaptation na ta, kung unsa nay nahitabo mag-adapt na ta to the extent na ang panginabuhi nato dili maapektuhan (As for El Niño, we should be in the adaptation stage, we'll be adapting the changes in our fishing ways, that our livelihood will not be affected),"Millana said.
Reportedly, NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that the economic impact of El Niño-induced agricultural contraction might not be severe. However, he expressed concern for household consumption, as over 20 percent of the labor force relies on agriculture.
The hopes are high for the main sectors to cope with El Nino, as it happened many times in the country.
While planning and preparation play a crucial role, effectively managing the situation during an actual drought is equally important. ICE
