Tacloban City (February 7) –The Department of Africulture in Central Visayas has adopted measures in order to sustain food production in Region & despite the expected El Nino that is soon to affect cropping in the first semester of 2010.
DA7 Regional Technical Director Angel C. Enriquez said, the province of Bohol and some parts of Negros Oriental in Central Visayas are included in the 24 areas in the country identified as “moderately vulnerable” to the El Nino phenomenon.
An estimated 3,788 hectares of rice lands, mostly in Bohol, is expected to be affected by drought brought about by El Nino.
DA7 is set to mitigate damage on rice production in Central Visayas through the GMA Rice program; the establishment of 844 units of shallow tube wells and pump irrigation system open-source (PISOS); restoration or rehabilitation of seven existing irrigation systems and distribution of drought-resistant varieties such as PSB Rc 68 intended for 125 hectares of affected rice areas.
Furthermore, DA7, through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is also intensifying its efforts to promote the Water-Saving Technology (Alternate Wet and Dry) in rice areas serviced by national and communal irrigation systems in the region.
These are only few of the preventive measures that the DA is taking to ensure that Region 7 can get through the drought with less damage.
