Rice rainfed areas, other agri crops threaten by dry spell

Some 9, 834.11 hectares (has.) from the total number of 23, 000 has. rice planted in the rainfed areas in Bohol
have been threatened to be affected with dry spell if there is no intervention to be made by the government such as
the conduct of Cloud Seeding Operations (CSOs).

It was known during the rice technicians meeting last Thursday held at the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center
(BAPC) Function Hall that only those being planted in rainfed areas in the month of January with an area of 9, 834.11 has. will most likely be affected but for those being planted earlier starting November to December last year are safe in which
some areas of these have already been harvesting their planted rice.

The crop standing planted of the threatened areas are vegetative stage which needs more supply of water to fully
fill-up its grains.

Leonardo Samar from Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-
ASA) reported that although the El Nino has weakened but based on their monthly rainfall forecast the months of
March, April and May the portion of the western part of Bohol will experience way below normal rainfall condition
or there are 60% and above rainfall reduction; while the portion of the eastern part of Bohol will experience below
normal rainfall condition or 20% to 60% rainfall reduction.

The portion of the Western Part of Bohol is comprising the towns of Loon, Maribojoc, Balilihan, Alburquerque,
Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City, San Isidro, Antequera, and corella as the towns of Talibon, Ubay, Trinidad, Pilar, Mabini,
Jagna and Garcia Hernandez are situated in the eastern portion of Bohol

The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Quick Response Fund (QRF) by the Provincial
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has the ready reserved fund in the amount of P2.5M
and the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) has P5M
allocation both intended for Cloud Seeding Operations (CSOs).

But both could not release the funds because of some valid reasons. For instance, the PGBh could not yet use the
allocation because the province is not declared as State of Calamity (SoC) considering there are no reported crops
damages. While, the DA also couldn’t use the P5M because of the directive from the President Ferdinand R.
Marcos, Jr. last December 19, 2023 directed the Department of National Defense (DND) and DA to exclude the
conduct of CSOs from the immediate-term solutions to El Nino due to the lack of scientific data on their
effectiveness.

According to Executive Secretary Lucas P. Barsamin that during the Cabinet Meeting on December 19, 2023, the
DND mentioned CSOs as one of the immediate-term solutions to El Nino, particularly to supplement crop water
needs during low rainfall. The President, however, expressed reservations on the effectiveness of CSOs to address
the effects of El Nino.

Along with this, the PGBh and the DA have been monitoring the status of the standing crops.
Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog urged the rice technicians in Bohol to monitor specific commodities in
their respective localities and report immediately to the provincial government through OPA and DA on whatever
damages have been reported.

Quirog emphasized that the rice technicians and so with the OPA personnel must go to the field and get the first-
hand information regarding the real situation outside the office. They have to guide the farmers on what they are
going to do to mitigate the impact of dry spell and they must have possessed more knowledge in agriculture
compared to the farmers.

The provincial agriculturist assured the rice technicians that the PGBh under the administration of Governor
Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado and Vice-Governor Dionisio Victor Balite and with the strong collaboration of the DA
have always looking at any interventions for the agri-fishery sector. By Atoy Cosap

RICE TECHNICIANS MEETING. Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog and Provincial Agricultural Technology
Coordinating Officer Roman Dabalos lead the rice technicians in Bohol on their first quarter meeting held at the
Function Hall, Bohol Agricultural and Promotion Center (BAPC), Dao, Tagbilaran City. Quirog urges the rice
technicians to make close monitoring to specific commodity to come up with accurate reporting. Photo by Jessica
Majerano, OPA staff.