• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) has allocated budget of P6-million for cloud-seeding operations in Western Visayas and the Negros Island Region, amid the looming threat of prolonged dry spells linked to the El Niño phenomenon expected later this year.
Engr. Jose Albert Barrogo, DA regional director for Negros Island Region, disclosed on Wednesday that once the BSWM gives the go signal for implementation, the cloud-seeding operations will be based at the Silay-Bacolod Airport in Negros Occidental.
Barrogo said they are closely monitoring current weather conditions to determine whether the rains being experienced are only temporary.
He noted that signs of a dry spell have already been observed in several areas across Negros Island, particularly affecting sugarcane plantations.
Barrogo, however, said that it is still too early to determine the full extent of moisture stress on sugarcane crops.
He warned that if farmers are unable to provide sufficient water for their crops, sugarcane yields could decline in the coming months.
“We are working with the Sugar Regulatory Administration to push through the cloud-seeding operations,” Barrogo added.
The Negros Occidental provincial government is also preparing mitigation measures to cushion the impact of the anticipated El Niño conditions.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said that the provincial government is studying the possible use of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) funds to provide financial assistance to farmers affected by the dry spell, similar to the interventions implemented during previous episodes of drought.*
