#AfterYolanda: Agri sector doing better – DA

Pia Ranada

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#AfterYolanda: Agri sector doing better – DA
Rehabilitation efforts for the past year have given farmers more access to certified crop seeds and machinery, while 94% of damaged fishing boats have been repaired

MANILA, Philippines – The agricultural sector in Yolanda-hit areas is slowly rising from the devastation a year after, according to government data. 

Around 640,500 farmers and fishers in the Yolanda corridor benefitted from the government’s rehabilitation efforts, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Post-Yolanda Agri in Numbers:

  • 142,423 bags of rice seeds distributed
  • 2,280 kg vegetable seeds distributed
  • 24,738 bags of corn seeds distributed
  • 162,878 bags of fertilizer distributed
  • 65.27% irrigation canals repaired
  • 30,186 boats repaired
  • 2,201 heads of livestock distributed
  • 35 units of 4-wheel drive tractors distributed

 

 

The programs – which include cash-for-work to clear farms, the re-establishment of plantations and intercropping – generated 168,200 livelihood opportunities for farmers who lost their source of income to the storm, said the agency.

Much of the crop land devastated by Yolanda have also been restored. Of the targeted 159,150 hectares for restoration in Eastern Visayas, almost 90% were planted with crops for the season covering March to September. (READ: Coconut, rice farmers worst hit by Yolanda)

DA Region 8 says that 35 to 40% of these lands have already been harvested. 

Yolanda-affected farmers may even be better off now compared to before the storm because of the new seeds, machineries and services making their way to their regions from the rehabilitation program, said DA regional field unit 8 director Bernadette San Juan. 

More palay farmers in the region, for instance, received certified hybrid seeds from the DA and private sector partners, increasing their chances of improving their yield.

Areas planted with certified seeds increased by 88% this year – from 50,305 hectares in 2013 to 94,401 hectares, according to San Juan’s office.

“Some municipal agriculturists are telling us of farmers in their respective areas increasing their output from 70 cavans per hectare to 130 cavans per hectare,” San Juan said. 

But ongoing field validations are yet to determine whether there was indeed an improvement in yield, she clarified. 

She however explained that they have yet to come up with final figures on the yield improvement pending the completion of ongoing field validations.

In Eastern Visayas, the most affected region, palay output grew by 1.37% in the second quarter of 2014, up from a 5.83% decline during the first quarter of the year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The area planted to crops in the region also expanded by almost 2,000 hectares, possibly contributing to the growth in palay output.

From 298,474 hectares in 2013, area planted to crops reached 300,202 hectares this year.

Meanwhile, for fisheries, almost 94% (30,186) of the more than 32,200 boats damaged by Yolanda have been repaired as of November 4, said the DA.

Funding until 2016

Yolanda affected around 600,000 hectares of agricultural land when it ravaged Eastern Visayas and parts of Luzon on November 8, 2013, causing around P31.13 billion (US$691 million) worth of damage.

An estimated 1.1 million metric tons of crops were lost, 80% of which were from Region 8. The most badly affected crops were coconut, palay, and corn. (READ: Tuba man from Tacloban)

The super typhoon also damaged P4.06 billion ($90.2 million) worth of equipment and infrastructure used by farmers such as irrigation canals, post-harvest facilities, and fishing boats.

In all, around 200,000 farming and fishing households had to deal with a loss of income. 

The DA is working with a 2014 Yolanda rehabilitation budget of P1.502 billion ($33.4 million), according to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. 

Of this, P1 billion ($22.2 million) was allocated to DA regional field unit 8, while P502 million ($11.1 million) was channelled to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). 

For 2015 to 2015, the budget will increase to P6 billion ($133.2 million) – P5.5 billion ($122.1 million) for DA regional field unit 8, and P500 million ($11.1 million) for BFAR, said Alcala. – Rappler.com

For Rappler’s full coverage of the 1st anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), go to this page.

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.