TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (August 7, 2023)—The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) will be “strategizing and pooling efforts” to rehabilitate areas damaged by Typhoon “Egay” in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley).
In a convergence meeting on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, DA-RFO2 Executive Director and Officer in Charge Rose Mary Aquino said there is a need for a methodical strategy through the Masagana Industry Rice Development Program in the rehabilitation of damages, especially to rice.
The meeting was attended by officials from the National Food Authority (NFA) and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and provincial agriculturists of the different provincial governments of Cagayan Valley.
It was convened to act on the rehabilitation of rice areas damaged by “Egay,” strategize to fast-track the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture cross-checking of irrigation associations members, propose strategies to implement the contract-growing of the NFA and maximize the irrigated rice ecosystem during the 2023-2024 dry season.
“We have to strategize and pool efforts together to have an efficient rehabilitation of the damages caused by Super Typhoon Egay, and to ensure the effectiveness of the interventions that we effect to the farmers,” Aquino said, adding that there is a need to agree on the terms “so we can commit ourselves to the fullest.”
Engineer Monico Castro, DA-RFO2 Field Operations Division chief, said the typhoon damaged rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and infrastructure in the region.
“The typhoon left P1.7 billion worth of estimated losses with rice at P426 million estimated damage, while corn suffered the most with P1.1 billion worth of estimated losses,” Castro added.
Dr. Marvin Luis, DA-RFO2 assistant division chief and regional rice program coordinator, said farmers who opt to plant again this month should bank on NIA’s supply of water for their plant.
Luis added that the farmers need to be certain for irrigation “so we can also position inputs like in-bred or hybrid rice, fertilizers, inoculants and biocontrol agents.”
Jaylord Yaquin Bagasin, alternate rice focal person and farm and fisheries clustering and consolidation program coordinator, said there is also a need to study the El Niño weather phenomenon.
“We need a thorough study of the negatively impacted rice areas in the region, water deficit areas like tail ends of irrigation systems, and to identify possible options to include crop diversification,” Bagasin added.
He said there is also a need to identify and maximize rice production in areas with assured irrigation and promote commodity diversification to areas that are vulnerable to El Niño this year and in 2024. LCD