AGRI LANDS. Around 257,600 hectares of agricultural lands have been identified as most vulnerable to the adverse impact of the El Niño phenomenon, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) says Saturday (Oct. 7, 2023). Central Luzon was tagged as the most vulnerable. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Around 257,600 hectares of agricultural lands have been identified as most vulnerable to the adverse impact of the El Niño phenomenon, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said Saturday.
Central Luzon was identified as the most vulnerable, with 85,000 hectares of land tagged as prone to the negative effects of the phenomenon, characterized by less than normal rainfall and prolonged dry spell.
“We are preparing for the El Niño as well. We have identified some [257,600] hectares of vulnerable areas nationwide. Under our proposed budget for 2024, meron na po kaming (we have) immediate measures for that,” Josephine Salazar, NIA officer-in-charge Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations Sector, said in a weekly forum in Quezon City.
Following Central Luzon are Soccsksargen (27,000 hectares), Ilocos Region (24,000 hectares), Mimaropa (17,000 hectares), Western Visayas (15,000 hectares), Central Visayas (14,000 hectares), and Zamboanga Peninsula (13,000 hectares), Salazar said.
These areas have been advised to plant high-value crops to mitigate the impact of the El Niño.
“So, nakikipag-coordinate na po tayo sa (we are coordinating with the) Department of Agriculture [for] the preparation and prepositioning of seeds, as well para doon sa (for) high-value [crops],” she said.
In July, the NIA crafted an El Niño action plan which includes water delivery schedule, utilization of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology, diversification of crops, and the use of early maturing and drought-resistant crop varieties.
The NIA also optimized non-vulnerable areas where production inputs will be provided to increase production and compensate for the possible damage and losses.
Irrigation of agri lands
Meantime, Salazar said around 68 percent or 2.1 million hectares of the 3.1 million hectares of potential irrigable area in the country have already been irrigated.
Salazar said the NIA is focused on developing and constructing solar-powered irrigation projects in the country.
“Now, ‘yung focus po (The focus) is more on the solar because we have to contribute to the food security of our country. So, nakikita po natin na ang (we see that the) short-term solution is the implementation of the solar project. So, what is the solar project? The solar project is fuel and electric driven,” she said.
“Before, our farmers are paying around PHP1 million… Because of the solar, around PHP400,000 na lang ang binabayaran nila (they just have to pay around PHP400,000),” Salazar added.
NIA said in September that it would allocate PHP1,720,984,000 for the programmed solar-irrigation projects in 183 sites nationwide that will irrigate new area of 2,168 hectares.
The NIA is likewise proposing another PHP30-billion worth of solar-powered irrigation projects for additional 791 sites to provide irrigation water supply to 39,694 hectares nationwide. (PNA)
