According to CAgrO head Edgardo Haspe during Thursday’s I Speak Media Forum that these areas will be the focus of the city’s measures in preparation for the forecasted El Niño season.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the dry season is expected to last from the last quarter of this year to the first quarter of 2024, endangering the supply of food crops as the risk of pestilence and plant diseases are expected to become more prevalent.
Haspe said that aside from the inventory and assessment of irrigation facilities, the CAgrO is also mapping out the most vulnerable areas in the city’s agricultural lands.
“The very vulnerable districts are Marilog and Paquibato kay naa man didto atoang mga cash crop,” Haspe said in a report from the City Information Office.
Davao City’s most profitable agricultural products or “cash crops” such as rice, corn, and various vegetables are largely produced in Paquibato and Marilog. These crops need a large amount of water to thrive, Haspe said.
The said districts will be prioritized in terms of quick response measures from the CAgrO. One such measure is the lending of water pumps and power sprayer free of charge.
Haspe said the city has 60 water pumps and 72 power sprayers. This equipment will be lent to farmers upon request of their association or their barangay.
Out of the city’s Quick Response Fund, more assistance will be given to the farmers who will be affected by the dry spell.
Haspe further said that the local government has also conferred with the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to have Davao City food growers insured. He said that enrolment to the PCIC is still ongoing and will last up until the dry spell commences.
He said CAgrO is also coordinating with different government agencies like the DA, the NEA, and the PCIC for the enrolment for insurance coverage of the farmers and fisherfolk.
Edgardo Haspe on Davao City’s preparation for El Niño