THE Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-Davao) has allocated approximately P27 million to support farmers who may be affected by the La Niña phenomenon in the region.
Joedel Leliza, the focal person for DA-Davao Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, announced during the Agribiz forum on Tuesday morning, August 20, 2024, at SM Lanang, that the P27 million is earmarked for buffer stock seeds to aid farmers.
“For now, for rehabilitation purposes, we have allocated P27 million to augment if naay production disruption na mahitabo o damage na mga rice and other crops (For now, we have allocated P27 million for rehabilitation purposes to mitigate any production disruptions or damage to rice and other crops),” he said. “Naa tay enough, naa ta’y seeds to augment if naay madaot pero nakita man pod namo based sa atoang mga target most of the history kaya naman sa seeds (We have sufficient seeds to augment supply if damage occurs. Based on our targets and historical data, our seed supply should be adequate).”
Leliza also said that the agency submitted a request for a quick response fund to purchase fertilizer.
Additionally, there is P33 million in funds initially allocated for past calamities that can be utilized, along with an additional P317 million budget expected to arrive this month.
He noted that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Davao Region (Bfar-Davao) has also received an additional budget to prevent and mitigate impacts on farmers potentially affected by La Niña.
The office underscored the importance of monitoring the upcoming La Niña, as it could significantly impact rice production, particularly in lowland areas where rice fields are vulnerable.
Preparations for the forthcoming La Niña are already in place, with the weather phenomenon expected to peak in October. Eng. Alan Ray Ribo, a weather specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)-Davao Station, indicated that while the likelihood of heavy rain is low in August and September, the city is experiencing warm mornings and afternoons with occasional evening rains due to localized thunderstorms. RGP
