The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Ilocos Region has requested the central office for PHP652.8 million to help sustain its El Niño mitigation and rehabilitation program.

In a phone interview on Wednesday, DA-Ilocos information officer Vida Cacal said the regional office allocated PHP870.3 million for its dry spell mitigation action plan in 2023.

She said the action plan was formulated based on the experience during the dry spell in 2009-2010 and was made in consultation with the local government units to efficiently address the ongoing El Niño phenomenon.

The action plan includes preparatory activities like retooling and strengthening of the disaster task force and monitoring of local field conditions, which started in early 2023.

“We have already produced information and education campaign materials regarding El Niño. We have also started the provisions of water pumps in rain-fed areas and buffer stocking of seeds, which are part of the preparatory activities,” Cacal said.

Also included in the mitigation plan are the optimization of production in vulnerable areas, provision of seeds and other farm inputs, establishment of additional irrigation facilities, repair and rehabilitation of irrigation canals and cloud seeding.

Cacal said they have distributed farm animals to farmers in vulnerable areas as an alternative source of income just in case their crops will be affected by El Niño and continue to encourage farmers to plant early-maturing plant varieties, alternative crops and drought-resistant crops like cassava, mung beans, pepper and sweet potato.

“We also taught them water saving technology with turn-around strategy,” she said, adding that DA is making these measures part of the department’s regular programs.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasts the peak of the dry spell to be experienced in the last week of January and will continue until May this year.

Cacal said they have not received any report about drought-affected areas in the region “so we can say that there is no high impact yet.”

There are about 313,510 hectares of rice plantation in the region and of which, 199,260 hectares are irrigated while the balance of 114,250 hectares are rain-fed or the vulnerable areas to El Niño.

Cacal said DA is also prepared for the rehabilitation of vulnerable areas in case it will be needed. (PNA)