Kalibo, Aklan -- The timely intervention by the provincial government here to deliver the much needed water supply to Aklan farmers bore a remarkable result by enabling 99% of irrigated rice lands here to be planted this cropping season.
According to Delano Tefora, Provincial Agriculturist, the long, dry spell that affected the province made the Aklan River shallow that prevented water from reaching the level irrigation canals, so rice fields remained dry, and farmers were not able to plant on time.
Recognizing the problem, the provincial government headed by Governor Carlito Marquez dispatched a back hoe for use of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-Aklan to rechannel the entry of water from the Aklan River to go into the irrigation system.
Though late, irrigated lands in Aklan, composed of some 16,000 hectares, are now 99% planted, while rainfed ricelands, composed of 10,700 hectares, are now 85% planted.
Tefora also said that a total of 137 hectares are now planted with hybrid rice, located in the towns of Kalibo, New Washington, Makato, Tangalan and Lezo. A hybrid rice demo farm was also put up in the town of Nabas.
The planting of hybrid rice here is being pushed and fully supported by the provincial government to increase rice production in the province and make Aklan rice-sufficient.
Tefora disclosed that in the past planting season, some hybrid rice farmers here managed to harvest 200 bags per hectare, but even harvesting from 80-100 bags per hectare is already a favorable harvest.
“This cropping season, we are positive that harvests from hybrid rice farms will be good, barring bad weather and other unforeseen conditions. The farmers who engaged in hybrid rice planting this season have learned enough already about hybrid technology and are very devoted farmers, so we are optimistic that results will be good,” Tefora said.
Despite the on-going dry spell, Tefora is confident the rice plants will endure in irrigated farms. He also mentioned that despite the hot temperature during day time in Aklan, rains come at night time, which would be good for rainfed areas.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, Department of Agriculture officials are still optimistic that Philippine Agriculture will manage to grow this year despite the drought.
The drough is now affecting certain regions in Luzon.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap noted that while the dry spell will have a negative impact on agricultural production in the rainfed areas in four affected regions, this climatic condition will have a positive effect and will further boost production in the non-affected regions, especially in the farms with adequate irrigation.
Yap assured palay farmers affected by the drought that the DA is ready to extend assistance to them by setting up small water impounding works in dry areas and offering alternative means of livelihood such as providing them with seeds for short-gestating crops like vegetables and employing them for the NIA’s program of repairing and rehabilitating 55,000 hectares of unserviceable irrigated lands.
Agriculture officials are now crafting the major intervention measures, like the massive distribution of seeds in quick-turnaround areas that regional DA offices will have to undertake to mitigate the impact of the drought on the affected farms and further boost harvests in the non-affected regions.
He said that the major palay producers that are expected to help offset the projected losses in the four affected regions are Panay Island, which is considered the rice granary of the Visayas and the Southwestern Mindanao (Region 11) and Central Mindanao (Region 12). (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
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