The Dumaguete City Agriculture Office has advised farmers in Negros Oriental to shift to organic farming methods to adapt to the adverse effects of the current El Niño phenomenon.

Fely Barba of CAO said organic agriculture can help farmers produce good quality of crops despite the ongoing dry spell, as they retain the fertility of soil by keeping in the essential nutrients needed by plants to grow. She also said organic fertilizers are cheaper than commercial ones.

Barba said commercial fertilizers have elements that can affect the quality of crops, and along with the prolonged dry season, can bring negative effects on food production.

The CAO continues to raise the consciousness of farmers on organic farming measures. Part of the interventions is the production of “vermincasts” or worm manure that is the end-product of vermin composting.

Barba said the agricultural barangays in Dumaguete are Candau-ay, Camanjac, Cadawinonan, Cantil-e, Balugo, and Bajumpandan.

So far, the El Niño phenomenon has brought minimal effect on livestock and no damage report on crops in the city, she added.

Negros Oriental chief meteorological officer, Neptune Catarata said the province is included in the list of provinces affected by the dry spell.

The drought or dry spell assessment issued by the country's weather bureau recently said the provinces experiencing dry spell are Agusan del Sur, Albay, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Bukidnon, Cavite, Cebu, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Lanao del Sur, Leyte, Masbate, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Samar, Siquijor, Sorsogon, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Tarlac.

Dry spell happens when a province experiences below normal rainfall condition for three consecutive months, or 21-60 percent reduction from the average normal rainfall amount. Drought occurs when a province experiences way below normal rainfall condition for three consecutive months.

PAGASA data said the 23 provinces experiencing drought are Abra, Agusan del Norte, Apayao, Basilan, Benguet, Bohol, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Misamis Occidental, Mountain Province, Pampanga, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

PAG-ASA said that, based on the drought or dry spell outlook for May, there are 42 provinces, including Negros Oriental, where the drought or dry spell situation is likely to improve. It added that the situation in 12 provinces across the country is likely to continue and intensify.*RG

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