DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Agriculturist’s Office (CAGRO) reported P3,758,132 in agricultural damage from the shear line that caused heavy rain and floods in the Davao region last week.

The CAGRO said flooding resulted in the erosion of about 12 hectares of rice field in Calinan District, causing significant crop losses for 24 rice farmers and 18.45 hectares of farmland in Marilog, Buhangin, and Tugbok suffered damage from landslides and rainfall and affected 39 corn farmers.

Twenty hectares of high-value crops planted by 136 farmers in Marilog, Tugbok, Buhangin, Bunawan, and Paquibato were also affected. A cassava farmer in Tugbok was adversely impacted.

In a statement, Edgardo Haspe, head of CAGRO, said that though the damage does not present a severe threat to this city’s food security, the impaired rice field in Calinan will hurt rice production here.

Haspe said CAGRO has sent teams to affected districts to assist farmers in recovering their losses. He added that the city government is helping around 200 farmers affected by flooding and landslide last week.

“We have coordinated with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), which can directly provide indemnity insurance of P20,000 per hectare to rice farmers, as most of them are enrolled in the PCIC, making them eligible for the insurance cover for destroyed rice fields,” Haspe said.

Corn farmers and high-value crop producers facing the impact of the disaster will get help in the form of farming supplies like seedlings, plantlets, and fertilizers.

Meanwhile, farmers in landslide-prone areas were advised not to plant in unstable areas for their safety.

In addition to providing immediate livelihood support, Haspe said CAGRO will present its findings to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and suggest the distribution of financial aid to farmers adversely affected by the disaster.