The scorching heat brought about by the El Niño phenomenon has resulted in a staggering P4.39 billion in damage to the Philippines’ agricultural sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA) bared on Friday, April 26.

The agency said the dry spell has devastated a total of 85,232 farmers and fisherfolk in 11 regions in the country.

According to the DA, the 11 regions hit by El Niño were Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City).

The agriculture department said a total of 77,731 hectares (ha) of agricultural areas have been devastated by the phenomenon.

Based on the report of the DA, the most affected crop by El Niño was palay or rice with 61.71 percent, followed by corn which comprised 17.53 percent.

High-value crops (HVC), meanwhile, were only 19.80 percent.

“The production losses from the affected agricultural areas are estimated at 113,446 metric tons (MT) for palay, 45,995 MT for corn, 24,306 MT for high-value crops and 41 MT for cassava,” the agency stated.

The DA said the impacted rice area covering 50,511 ha constitutes 2.36 percent of the total target planting area of 2,137,046.77 ha.

Meanwhile, rice’s production loss of 113,446 MT translates to approximately 1.23 percent of the target production of 9,218,358.28 MT.

In terms of corn, the agency said the area affected by the dry spell spans 21,308 ha, representing 1.93 percent of the total target planting area of 1,101,695.90 ha. Its production loss of 45,995 MT accounts for 1.02 percent of the target production of 4,493,026.90 MT.

El Niño interventions

The DA said it has so far provided at least P2.16 billion worth of interventions to El Niño-devastated farmers and fisherfolk.

The agency said that DA’s regional field offices have distributed assistance totaling P637.21 million, including agri-inputs, fertilizers, planting materials, pumps and engines, HDPE hose, drugs, and biologics.

As such, the DA said it has provided financial support amounting to P1,065 million through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program in Regions II and IV-B.

In Region IV-B, the DA noted that various forms of assistance were extended, such as P8 million worth of rice machineries and equipment from DA-PHilMech, P77.50 million worth of Survival and Recovery (SURE) aid loans from ACPC, P5.19 million worth of coconut seedlings distributed by PCA, P65.35 million worth of composting facilities from the DA BSWM, P294.46 million worth of irrigation projects from the National Irrigation Administration, and P8.99 million worth of marine machinery and equipment.

The DA said it has been conducting cloud seeding operations in Southern Cagayan, Northern Isabela, Quirino Corn Areas, and Magat Reservoir in Region II.

To enhance water supply in Regions I, II, III, IV-B, VI, VII, and XI, the agriculture department said it has installed 616 water pumps.

The agency said it has also completed concreting 847.8 kilometers of irrigation canals to enhance water distribution in agricultural areas nationwide.

The DA has also desilted 3,167.9 kilometers of irrigation canals to improve water flow throughout the country.

Through the Philippine Native Animal Development (PNAD), the DA distributed 60,013 native animals to 334 groups and 534 individual farmers.

The agency added that it has provided 111 diversified alternative livelihoods and technologies to fisherfolk to mitigate potential losses in CAR, Regions V, VII, and IX.

Also, the DA reported that the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation has provided indemnity to farmers in CAR, Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, VI, IX, XI, and XII, totaling P67.91 million.

‘Almost entire PH affected’

On April 24, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama, spokesperson of Task Force El Niño, said almost the entire country is affected by the dry spell.

Villarama, citing reports from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), said that 103 areas, including 98 cities and municipalities, along with the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, and Maguindanao del Sur, have been declared under a state of calamity.

He said that according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) data, approximately 2,116,420 individuals, including farmers, fisherfolk, and their dependents or families, are impacted by El Niño.

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