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MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has called for sustained support for farmers, fisherfolk and rural communities as the Department of Agriculture (DA) warned that the country’s rice production could decline by 700,000 metric tons this year due to the looming strong El Niño.
The DA said the projected loss represents around 3.5 percent of the annual production target, raising concerns over food security, rural income, crop supply and possible pressure on consumer prices.
Go said the warning should push concerned agencies to strengthen preparations and ensure that interventions reach communities that depend directly on agriculture for their livelihood.
“We need to take care of our farmers and fisherfolk as they provide food on the table for families,” he said.
The DA earlier said it had reconvened the El Niño task force to prepare for a potentially severe episode this year. The agency also warned that a prolonged dry spell could affect crop production, reduce farmers’ earnings and contribute to higher food prices.
According to the DA, measures being undertaken include cloud seeding to increase rainfall, deployment of solar-powered irrigation systems, adjustments to the planting calendar to align with the northeast monsoon or habagat and crop diversification programs to help stabilize farmers’ income.
Go said these measures must be complemented by accessible support mechanisms for affected agricultural workers, particularly those in rice-producing areas and rural municipalities that face greater exposure to drought, production losses, and rising input costs.
