TARLAC CITY (PIA) — In response to the possible impacts of this year’s El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) introduced smart agricultural solutions aimed at protecting the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sectors while strengthening farmers’ livelihoods.
During the Technology to People Media Conference held in Tarlac, DOST-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section Chief Ana Liza Solis emphasized that the effects of El Niño vary from one occurrence to another, making preparedness and adaptation essential.
“Nagva-vary iyong impact, hindi siya pare-pareho. No two El Niños are alike in terms of intensity, duration, frequency at iyong impact na posibleng maging epekto niya (The impact varies; it is not the same every time. No two El Niños are alike in terms of intensity, duration, frequency, and the possible effects they may bring),” she explained.
To help farmers cope with these climate-related challenges, DOST showcased smart agricultural technologies designed to improve water management, increase crop productivity, and strengthen climate resilience.
Among the innovations featured was the Automated Furrow Irrigation System (AFIS), installed in a sugarcane plantation in Paniqui, Tarlac.
The solar-powered irrigation technology, funded under DOST’s Industry Level Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (iCRADLE) Program, is designed to deliver the right amount of water at the right time through irrigation flow models, irrigation management strategies, multisensors, and automated control systems.
Complementing the AFIS is the Nutrio Biofertilizer, which enhances sugarcane growth, increases crop yield, and reduces farmers’ dependence on inorganic fertilizers.
North Cluster Producers Cooperative Chairperson Marlon Gamboa shared that these has significantly increased crop production and farmers’ income.
“In terms of yield o iyong taas ng production, more than double actually iyong naging resulta. Siyempre kapag gano’n, iyong kita mas nadagdagan ng mas malaki sa ating mga magsasaka (In terms of yield or the increase in production, the results were actually more than double. Naturally, when that happens, our farmers also earn significantly higher incomes),” he said.
Meanwhile, DOST also highlighted the Automatic Weather Station (AWS) installed in Barangay San Manuel, Tarlac City under the Project Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry (SARAI).
SARAI Centralized National Hub for Regional Operations Project Leader Moises Dorado explained that the AWS has a monitoring radius of up to 20 kilometers, enabling it to provide localized weather information to surrounding farming communities.
“Itong automatic weather station, magbibigay ito sa atin iyong tinatawag nating site-specific na information katulad ng rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, humidity na talagang angkop para dito sa nasasakupan na lugar (This automatic weather station provides what we call site-specific information, such as rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, and humidity, which are specifically suited to the area it covers),” he stated.
Dorado added that the data collected by the AWS are transmitted in near real time and translated into practical advisories that farmers can use in their day-to-day farm operations.
He also underscored that unlike national weather forecasts that may rely on monitoring stations located far from farming communities, the AWS provides site-specific observations that better reflect actual field conditions, allowing farmers to make more informed decisions on irrigation, planting schedules, and other farm activities.
Supporting the administration’s agenda under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to advance food security and build a climate-resilient agriculture sector, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Leah Buendia said the showcased technologies demonstrate how government-funded research can directly address climate-related challenges confronting Philippine agriculture.
“PCAARRD delivers to our farmers and fisherfolks iyong mga science-based at smart agriculture solutions para po ma-address ang mga extreme weather conditions, katulad po ngayon ng El Niño(PCAARRD delivers science-based and smart agriculture solutions to our farmers and fisherfolk to help address extreme weather conditions, such as the El Niño),” Buendia said.
Through initiatives such as Project SARAI and the iCRADLE Program, DOST continues to support the country’s agriculture sector by providing timely information and science-based technologies that strengthen climate resilience, improve farm productivity, and contribute to the administration’s goal of achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development. (CLJD/AJRR, PIA Region 3-Tarlac)
