Less water rice planting methods to resume–DA
RICE farming strategies requiring less water will be implemented so that farmers can still continue planting rice amid El Niño, an official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
U-Nichols Manalo, acting DA Assistant Secretary for Operations, said the move complies with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to the DA to assist Filipino farmers amid El Niño.
Manalo disclosed the implementation of low-water-use technology is underway to mitigate the weather phenomenon’s impact on farmers.
During the recent Task Force El Niño meeting, Manalo identified the farming strategies as “Alternate Wetting and Drying” (AWD) which uses less water for farming, and “Quick Turn Around” (QTA) which allows immediate rice replanting right after harvest.
“AWD is a water-saving technology that rice farmers can apply to reduce water use in irrigated fields,” Manalo said during the task force meeting chaired by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
Manalo further disclosed that the DA has reached out to more than a million farmers for implementation of the water-saving technology in nearly 15,000 hectares of rice areas.
Likewise, he said that farmers have already begun replanting in more than 5,500 hectares of rice areas. The agency aims to implement the quick-turn-around strategy on more than 26,000 hectares.
The DA immediately implemented these measures in compliance with President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 53, which directs the government to streamline, reactivate and reconstitute the old El Niño task forces under EO No. 16 (s. 2001) and Memorandum Order No. 38 (s. 2019).
Signed on Jan. 19, 2024, President Marcos’ executive order directs the task force to develop a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan for El Niño and La Niña to provide “systematic, holistic and results-driven interventions” to help the public cope and minimize their devastating effects.
The President designated Teodoro as the task force chairperson, while Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum was designated co-chairperson.
Marcos also designated the following officials as task force members: Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.
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