Rice remains abundant in Ifugao as the Banaue rice terraces continue to produce the staple as it is irrigated through an ingenious complex of bamboo pipes and canals connected from springs that supply abundant water. (Photo by RICHARD VIÑAS)

LAGAWE, Ifugao – More than a thousand rice farmers in this world heritage province said they are already experiencing the negative effects of the El Niño phenomenon, the long dry spell that is expected to peak in the country from February to July this year.

In their report to local governments and concerned regional line agencies, the farmers expressed fears and that if the dry spell continues and no early interventions are provided, they stand to suffer huge economic losses from damaged rice crops.

According to the farmers, as early as last December, they observed that rivers, streams, springs and irrigation systems in the region were drying up, coupled with the scarcity of potable water supply.

The plight of the farmers was also reported to the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera which is strongly advocating an immediate adoption of climate change adoptability and disaster risk management measures to mitigate the effects of global warming to food security and the productivity of the people, especially rice and vegetable farmers.

Acting on this report, Engineer Michael Tegui-in of the Ifugao Provincial Agriculture Office conducted a field assessment and confirmed the farmers’ situation.

He said that based on his assessment, 6,051 hectares of irrigated and 674 hectares of rain-fed rice fields are already affected in their vegetative, reproductive and maturity stages in the entire province.

The report indicated that there are 3,660 hectares of rice fields in their vegetative stage, 1,287 hectares in their productive stage and 1,449 hectares in their maturity stage which are lacking irrigation.

Should the rice crops be totally damaged by the drought, it will affect the vital Rice Self-Sufficiency Program of Ifugao and the Department of Agriculture, officials said.

Worst hit in Ifugao is the municipality of Alfonso Lista with 1,450 hectares of rice farms affected, followed by Aguinaldo with 1,022 hectares, Lamut with 963 hectares, Lagawe with 513 hectares and Asipulo with 467 hectares.

Tegui-in said these areas are highly vulnerable to the El Niño and they are preparing proposed interventions for funding and immediate implementation to prevent and mitigate the suffering and losses of rice farmers.

He said they will recommend to the DA and the provincial government the provision of small farm reservoirs, small water impounding projects and water pumps, and advice farmers to plant drought-resistant crops such as leguminous crops, onions, garlic, squash, cassava, melon and others.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration for its part said light rains due to the northeast monsoon will be the only source of replenishment of water sources in the country this week as weather forecasters see a slim chance of a storm coming.

PAGASA said Luzon and Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered light rains while Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

The state-run weather bureau however clarified that these light rains would not be sufficient to ease the dry spell and drought conditions in at least 20 provinces nationwide.

PAGASA said it has not spotted any tropical cyclone developing or threatening to enter the Philippine area of responsibility as of Wednesday morning.

Early in January, PAGASA announced that Benguet, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Batangas, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Romblon, Northern Samar, Aklan, and Guimaras began experiencing the dry spell.

PAGASA Administrator Prisco Nilo added that Mindanao provinces like Biliran, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat also had “exhibited three to four consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition” since September and October.