By PIA Bohol
SKILLFULLY steering the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council to avert a drought devastated food basket in the Visayas dream, Governor Erico Aumentado succeeded in generating crucial resolutions to support a plea for cloud seeding operations for Bohol.
The resolution would formalize Bohol request to the national government through the Department of Agriculture for cloud seeding operations to regain the cracked farmlands in time for the regular planting season a few months from now.
During an emergency meeting convened last Monday, the governor claimed that he has seen the beginnings of the undesirable effects of the El Nino as he travels all over the province.
The governor aired his alarm over the receding levels of the water of Bohol dams and the decreased ricelands planted this cropping season as telltale signs of a possible problem of food supply in the near future.
Despite attaining a 114% rice sufficiency levels with the implementation of Rice Accelerated Emergency Response (RACER) program in 2009, the governor pointed out that a low water level in the dams men fewer farmers maximizing on the irrigation which is a major factor for a better harvest.
Earlier in reports, the governor claimed he has already talked to Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla on the possibility of co-financing cloud seeding operations all over Bohol.
Aumentado said that the National Irrigation Administration through Regional Director Modesto Membreve has recommended for the cloud seeding operations in the Malinao Dam watershed to replenish the low water levels.
But even then, Agricultural promotion Center manager Engr Eugene Cahiles reported to the council that their office has so far received positive feedbacks from farmers who simultaneously used the regular planting season.
“These farmers are now preparing for harvest and the the drought came just in time when rice was already in the later stage prior to harvest, Cahiles said.
He however admitted that if the drought continues and without the cloud seeding operations, Bohol agriculture would be drastically affected. (PIA)
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Topic: Cloud seeding operations for Bohol (Read 1468 times)