PGBh faces big challenge from El Niño

The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) is about
to face a big challenge in the coming months on its mandate for food sufficiency and security to feed the 1.4 million
Boholano populace because of El Nino.

During the Provincial Coordinating Committee on Agri-Fisheries (PCCAF) Coordinating Meeting last
Wednesday held at the Bohol Public School Teachers and Employees Association (BPSTEA) Building, Tamblot St.
Cogon, Tagbilaran City, Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog said the PGBh under the administration of
Governor Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado has already drawn some mitigating measures to minimize the impact of El
Nino into human lives, livestock, poultry and plants.

Provincial Agriculturist Quirog bared that the provincial government has already allocated P2.5M; while waiting
for the requested fund from the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in the amount of P7.5M for the
conduct of Cloud Seeding Operations (CSOs) in Bohol.

She said that the provincial government also recommended to all Boholano farmers that after the harvest, they
have to make use of the opportunity of having rainfall this month of October to do immediately the land preparation
for the next cropping season.

The Provincial Agriculturist also asked the Boholanos to conserve the use of water because if based on the
forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric Geo-Physical Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) we will
experience drought in the coming months.

She encouraged the farmers to ensure their livestock and agricultural products to the Philippine Crops Insurance
Corporation (PCIC) to lessen the effects to their livelihoods for whatever happens if calamities like El Nino, and
typhoons among others.

Quirog thanked the Municipal Agriculturists/Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAs/MAOs) for being always
with the provincial government in the quest for agricultural upliftment.

Leonardo Samar from PAG-ASA Radar Station in Albuquerque said in an interview that based on the PAG-ASA
assessment at the end of December 2023 Bohol will experience dry conditions or the province will experience two
consecutive months below normal rainfall conditions, end of February 2024 Bohol will be expected under dry spell
condition which means the province will experience three consecutive months below normal rainfall condition and
at the end of March 2024, the province will be expected to experience drought condition of which Bohol has
experienced five consecutive months below normal rainfall condition.

Samar explained that it does not necessarily mean that if we are under dry, a dry spell or drought we cannot
experience rain. There are still rains but there are reductions from average rainfall would happen. By Atoy Cosap