Aklan is moderately affected by El Niño
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – The province of Aklan is moderately affected by the adverse effects of El Niño, according to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.

The prolonged dry spell already affected most rice-producing provinces across the country prompting the Department of Agriculture to mitigate measures for the El Niño phenomenon.

Provincial Agriculturist William Castillo said the threat of the El Niño in Aklan is moderate compared to the effects of dry spell in Capiz and Iloilo provinces, which is characterized by the ongoing drought and poor rain fall inflicted severe damages to agricultural crops and livestock.

”The provincial government and the DA outlined measures to mitigate the dry spell in the rice, high value commercial crops, corn and fishery sectors. The components are irrigation and water availability, production support, financing, information, education and communication and program management," he said.

Castillo said rain-fed hectares in the towns of Altavas, Balete, Malinao, Ibajay, Banga, Batan, Libacao, Madalag, Malay, Buruanga and Numancia are vulnerable to El Niño.

Based on the data released by the DA, the province of Aklan has a total land area of 181,816 hectares with 54 percent or 97,653 hectares are devoted to agriculture.

Aklan also remains a rice-exporting province with a rice sufficiency level at 117.80 percent, thus complementing the rice needs of other provinces of the excess rice.