Romblon braces for possible ‘Super El Niño’ impact on agriculture

CALAPAN CITY— The Romblon provincial government is studying the distribution of drought-tolerant crops to farmers as it prepares to cushion farmers from a “Super El Niño.”

The Provincial Agriculture Office would hold technical meetings in each municipality to discuss preparations and provide farmers with information on the possible effects of El Niño, according to the Philippine Information Agency in Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.) 

READ: Puerto Princesa eyes cloud seeding amid ‘Super El Niño’

Article continues after this advertisement

Among the measures is the distribution of mung bean (monggo) and corn seeds from the Department of Agriculture (DA) for planting after farmers harvest their rice.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Provincial Agriculturist Relly Diokno said the crops require less water and could serve as alternative crops during periods of water shortage.

“After mag-harvest ng palay, hindi na nila kailangang araruhin dahil iba na muna ang itatanim nila kasi hindi ito kailangan ng maraming tubig. At least pag dumating man ’yung ‘Super El Niño,’ meron pa ring gulay kahit papaano (After harvesting rice, they won’t need to plow the land anymore because they will temporarily plant a different crop that does not require much water. At least, if ‘Super El Niño’ does come, there will still be some vegetables available),” Diokno said.

The provincial agriculture office will also conduct information campaigns to guide farmers in preparing for possible drought conditions.

Farmers are being encouraged to prepare water storage facilities to ensure that they have a supply available once the effects of El Niño are felt.

Article continues after this advertisement

Aside from the seeds provided by the DA, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is also expected to allocate funds for measures addressing the potential impact of the climate phenomenon on farmers.

The preparations come amid the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) outlook for hotter temperatures and below-normal rainfall in large parts of the country due to El Niño.

Article continues after this advertisement

In a statement on Sept. 23, Pagasa said the effects of the phenomenon were expected to be most pronounced from October to December 2026, although the severity and extent of its impacts could vary by location.

Provincial officials said the technical meetings, seed distribution, water conservation measures and information campaign would be undertaken to help farmers adjust their agricultural activities should prolonged dry conditions develop. /jpv