Cebu City’s Agriculture Department prepares for impact of El Niño

Photo from DA-7 Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Although there has been no report yet of crop damage due to the extreme heat brought by the onset of the dry season, Cebu City’s Agriculture Department (CAD) is already bracing for the impacts of the looming El Niño phenomenon this year.

With a P200 million regular budget for 2023, City Agriculturist Joey Baclayon said the City’s Agriculture Department (CAD) has already purchased and distributed supplies and assistance to farmers as measures against the impact of the dry season.

“Wala pa tay reported nga mga crop damages although na feel na nila ang kainiton. Ang atong sitwasyon karon, mauna diri sa ubos ang kainiton pero last nato ma feel ngadto sa kabukiran, maybe because of the elevation and also the weather pod nato didto,” he told reporters.

Baclayon said farming supplies, such as fertilizers, irrigations, water hoses, tanks, and seedlings have already been made available to each farming association in the city.

Moreover, farmers have also been introduced to modern farming facilities, such as the use of solar-powered pumps.

“Kung mulanat ang El Niño, we will make a proposal pod to be submitted to the mayor para pod sa dugang nga ayuda sa mga mag-uuma,” he added.

Cebu City currently has at least 12,000 registered farmers from 28 mountain barangays.

Baclayon said the total agricultural produce of Cebu City farmers contributes 40 percent of the total food supply requirement of the city.

/bmjo

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