NIA prepositions seedlings to El Niño vulnerable farmlands – Presidential Communications Office

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has prepositioned seedlings to over 200,000 hectares of farmland for protection against the possible effects of the El Niño phenomenon next year.

According to Josephine Salazar, officer-in-charge of NIA’s Engineering and Operations, the agency is preparing to set up immediate measures such as positioning of seedlings for the identified farmlands that have high value crops.

“So we are promoting po na iyong tail-end portion of the irrigation system of… iyong magkakaroon tayo ng problema on these identified areas na high-value crops ang itanim. So, nakikipag-coordinate na po tayo sa Department of Agriculture for the preparation and positioning of seeds as well para doon sa high-value crops,” Salazar told a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

“For the overall direction of NIA po ngayong 2024, we are also preparing for the El Niño as well,” she said.“Under our proposed budget for 2024, mayroon na po kaming mga immediate na measure for that,” she said.

Salazar said NIA has identified 257,600 hectares nationwide have been identified as vulnerable areas to El Niño.

According to Salazar, the identified vulnerable areas are 27,000 hectares in Region XII (Soccsksargen); 13,000 hectares in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula); 14,000 hectares in Region VII (Central Visayas); 15,000 hectares in Region VI (Western Visayas); 17,000 hectares in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA); 85,000 hectares in Region III (Central Luzon); and 24,000 hectares in Region I (Ilocos Region).

President Marcos, who is the concurrent Agriculture chief, has directed a whole-of-government approach against the looming impact of the dry spell.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operations Arnel de Mesa earlier said that their department needs to coordinate very closely with the NIA for the timing of the planting of rice. PND