Marcos urges farmers to shift to low-water crops as El Niño extends to 2027

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday urged farmers to reduce their reliance on water-intensive rice and shift to drought-resistant, high-value crops as the government braces for an El Niño weather pattern that could persist until 2027.

Speaking during the inauguration of an irrigation project in Bohol in central Philippines, Mr. Marcos said prolonged dry conditions could threaten agricultural output and food security, prompting authorities to promote crop diversification and climate-resilient farming practices.

“According to our data, there is a high probability that the country will experience a severe El Niño that may last until 2027,” Mr. Marcos said in a livestreamed speech in Filipino in the municipality of Mabini.

He said changing weather patterns have increased the risks faced by farmers who depend heavily on seasonal rainfall, making irrigation and alternative crops increasingly important.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) earlier this month confirmed that El Niño conditions had emerged in the tropical Pacific after sea surface temperatures reached the +0.5°C threshold in May.

PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel T. Servando said most climate models indicate an 80% probability that the phenomenon would intensify and persist until early 2027, raising the likelihood of below-normal rainfall across much of the country. Western sections of the archipelago may still receive heavy rains during the Southwest Monsoon if enhanced by tropical cyclones.

In response, the government has started encouraging farmers to plant crops that require less water but offer higher returns.

“We have already advised some farmers to plant high-value commercial crops such as watermelon, ginger, ube, peanuts and eggplant instead of rice, which requires more water,” Mr. Marcos said.

He added that the Department of Agriculture and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) are providing technical assistance and support to help farmers transition to alternative crops.

The President made the remarks during the inauguration of the P833.37-million Mabini-Cayacay small reservoir irrigation project, which is designed to provide a steady water supply to 530 hectares of farmland in the municipalities of Mabini and Alicia.

The project, completed in November, features a 32.2-meter-high, 210-meter-long dam with a reservoir capacity of 3.82 million cubic meters. It draws water from the Baujanan and Cawasan creeks to irrigate five villages.

The NIA estimates that the facility will benefit 717 farmers who previously depended on rainfall, letting them increase their planting frequency from two cropping cycles to three each year.

Mr. Marcos said the government is also advancing other irrigation projects in Bohol, including the Bonot-Bonot project in Buenavista, which is 84% complete, and the Hibale project in Danao, now 44% complete. Dam improvement works in Pilar and irrigation projects in Guindulman and Calape are also underway.

Beyond irrigation infrastructure, the administration is promoting climate-adaptive technologies such as solar-powered pumps and water recycling systems to improve water efficiency in drought-prone areas.

Mr. Marcos said combining modern irrigation facilities with diversified crop production would help sustain farm incomes and strengthen the country’s food supply as it prepares for a prolonged period of dry weather. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking