“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.” – Anonymous
The continuing El Niño phenomenon besetting the country, especially on agriculture, has a recorded damage of more than one billion pesos, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Worst hit is Western Visayas with a recorded damage of more than 760 million pesos. Just like fellow Negrenses I am worried this is going to get worse, and Western Visayas being the worst hit in the country, proportionally, Negros can be the worst hit in the region.
One prominent sign is that some sugar mills have announced that they are closing a month earlier because there are no more sugarcanes to be harvested. I just had a consultation meeting with ARB partners of Alter Trade in the southern part of the province, and according to them they are forced to harvest the remaining sugarcane for two reasons: the sugar mill’s early milling closure and the worsening impact of drought that renders the crop lesser volume and quality. Their sugarcane production has decreased by not less than 40 percent. We are now in summertime, and we know what this brings.
AGRICULTURE’S NIGHTMARE
Earlier this week PAGASA announced that El Niño has started to weaken, and most probably neutral conditions will return in April, towards June. However, there is also an “increasing probability” of a La Niña phenomenon between July and August. In the Philippines and in most parts of Southeast Asia there are only two weather patterns – the rainy and the dry season. The former usually commences in June and ends December to January, followed by the latter which is until April towards May. The months of July and August fall under the rainy season.
The current El Niño phenomenon has caused damage to 60 provinces, with varying effects to agriculture such as drought, dry spell, and dry conditions. Resistant crops and livestock may survive but not without cost. Areas without irrigation systems suffer the most. On the other hand, the weather bureau’s announcement will certainly create “physical shock” to the same crops and livestock because La Niña, as the opposite of El Niño, brings abnormal cold temperatures and above average rainfall. It is characterized by excessive rain and cold weather.
If this happens, just like humans, agriculture has not recovered from its sickness yet another big blow knocks at its door. This is going to be a nightmare for farmers, because their source livelihood suffers a double whammy and agriculture shall be brutally whipped, thus contributing to the weakening of the economy.
‘SALA SA INIT, SALA SA LAMIG’
This year is a classic case of “sala sa init, sala sa lamig” for Filipinos, much more for agriculture.
It is important to understand what these two phenomena bring, most especially to agriculture. The current El Niño phenomenon is one of the worst in the last 23 years, since 1997. It brings drought that significantly reduces water supply that affects human activities, increasing health risks – that inevitably costs lives of the vulnerable. In agriculture, the same worsening effect is felt, that reduces water sources, mainly for irrigation systems. Our major crops depend largely on irrigation, such sugarcane, rice, corn and banana, other than high valued crops that contribute to our local economy, and increase that socio-economic conditions of our farmers here in Negros. Again, we are an agricultural province.
On the other hand, the La Niña phenomenon is characterized by unusually cooler than average sea surface temperatures that triggers above normal rainfall in the Philippines, causing floods. Floods cause damage to crops particularly during the production period. The phenomenon also causes landslides in hilly and mountain areas, including both agriculture and communities. Landslides have heavier impacts that cause long term reparations if not irreparable damages.
For crops, waterlogs affect the quality of crops up to their usefulness. At certain points, La Niña brings something good – it replenishes reservoirs for future uses.
IMPACT VS ACTION
The current climate change challenges manifested by these weather phenomena have come to an unpredictable and increasingly threatening stage. Our country may have the means such as resources and technology, but perhaps are not fully maximized for this purpose. Such a pity.
The under-privileged Filipinos, especially the farmers – the food producers are the ones directly deprived and suffer the most, resulting from these threats largely attributed to human activities.
Philippine agriculture is seemingly hopeless and our leaders can only succumb to policies they are fond of resorting to – importation.*
