Bacolod City – Rains and weather disturbances may have weakened the effect of El Niño phenomenon on agricultural crops in Negros Occidental, acting Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola disclosed over-the-weekend.
If there is no intervention from weather disturbances, we may feel it, Genzola said, noting the humid weather and the ground easily drying after rains.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the El Niño weather phenomenon is set to become “strong” by the end of 2023 and is likely to lead to below-normal rainfall conditions persisting until next year.
Genzola said they have already prepared some mitigating measures and strategies for implementation, to lessen the impact of the weather phenomenon to farmers in Negros Occidental, including the establishment of water impounding areas.
She also advised farmers to plant drought resistance crops.
Negros Occidental had managed to navigate through El Niño before, and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that the province would still have a high chance of going through the phenomenon.
This is not the first time that the province has experienced a dry spell, Lacson said.
The provincial government had initially earmarked P15 million initial funding in preparation for El Niño. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)