• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Rains and weather disturbances may have weakened the effect of El Nino phenomenon to agricultural crops in Negros Occidental, Acting Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola said Friday.
“If there is no intervention from weather disturbances, we may have felt it,” Genzola said, noting the humid weather and the ground that easily dries after rains.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the 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 identified some mitigating measures and strategies to lessen the impact of the weather phenomenon to farmers in Negros Occidental, among these is the establishment of water impounding areas.
She also advised farmers to plant drought resistance crops.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that if Negros Occidental had managed to navigate through El Niño before, then the province would still have a high chance of getting through the phenomenon.
This is not the first time that the province has experienced a dry spell, Lacson said.
The provincial government initially earmarked a P15-million funding for El Niño mitigation initiatives. | GB
