DAVAO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Davao said that the El Niño phenomenon has destroyed P203 million in agricultural crops in the Davao region.
FARMLAND affected by El Niño.
Joedel Leliza, focal person for Disaster Risk Reduction Management of the DA-Davao, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday that 14,736 farmers were affected by El Niño here and the provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.
He said heavily affected high-value crops were banana, cacao, coffee, and corn with a total area of 7,155.49 hectares.
Leliza said they will form a rehabilitation plan to help farmers recover from the impact of El Niño.
He said that they continuously consult local government units to identify what interventions farmers need for possible funding from the national government.
Macario D. Gonzaga, DA-Davao regional executive director, said they have set aside an initial budget of P24.550 million to assist affected farmers.
He added that among the interventions that they have provided were P5,000 cash assistance for rice farmers for the purchase of hybrid rice seeds and fuel discounts.
Gonzaga said that affected farmers also received P10,000 each from the Office of the President.
Last June 6, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured that the national government would help farmers severely affected by the onslaught of El Niño in Davao region.
During his speech at the distribution of presidential assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and families at the Davao del Norte Sports Complex in Tagum City, Marcos said that the national government is working closely with local government units to ensure that support will reach them.
Marcos led the turnover of P36 million in agri-fishery livelihood projects, post-harvest facility, equipment, and materials under the DA, fiberglass reinforced plastic boats, fishing gears, and paraphernalia under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and toolkits under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
He distributed cash assistance amounting to P30 million or P10 million each to select beneficiaries in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Occidental.
Marcos added that he directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and BFAR to improve the supply of fish through aquaculture production and planting of mangroves.