So. Cotabato agri office revives task force El Nino

KORONADAL CITY -- The South Cotabato provincial agriculture office has laid down mitigating measures to cushion the impact of El Nino.Justina Navarette, OIC provincial agriculture officer, said among the steps was the revival of Task Force El Nino.The task force is composed of agencies that directly engaged in mitigating the impact of dry spell. These are National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and other agencies.Also, the putting up of shallow tube wells and water impounding facilities in near or aroundfarmlands and corn fields was being prioritized.

Cloud seeding is also in the pipeline, she said.Navarette also urged farmers to plant heat-resistant crops outside the regular palay and corn products.Engr. Orlando Tibang, NIA-South Cotabato manager, said his office has issued schedule of releases of irrigationwater from Banga River Irrigation System, cropping calendars and pattern to prevent heavy losses on the part of farmers.Tibang projected that about 50 percent ofthe Banga Irrigation System will be gone during the dry spell.