DAVAO CITY (September 23) — Davao Region’s rice farmers are being urged to rethink what they plant as worsening El Niño conditions threaten to hit their crops at the stage when they need the most water—putting farm incomes and food production at risk.
The Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-XI) said the expected intensification of El Niño in December 2026 and January 2027 could sharply increase pressure on rice farms, particularly those dependent on rainfall.
Joedel Leliza, agriculturist of DA-XI, said the threat is already visible in the region’s agriculture sector.
Before El Niño was activated, DA-XI had recorded 2,027 affected farmers, with 1,291.71 hectares of agricultural land damaged and estimated losses of P713 million.
After El Niño emerged in August, the number of affected farmers increased to 4,447, while damaged agricultural areas reached 4,790.65 hectares. Reported crop losses were estimated at P444 million, with rice among the crops most affected.
The figures show the scale of the problem, but they also raise a more immediate question for rice-growing communities: what happens to farmers whose livelihoods depend on keeping rice in the ground despite worsening water shortages?
December risk
Leliza said rice could become particularly vulnerable in December because crops planted earlier will enter their reproductive stage as El Niño intensifies.
“Ang El Niño mag-heighten siya December and January,” Leliza said during a media forum Wednesday. At that point, rice plants will be entering the reproductive stage, when their water requirement is at its highest.
He said about 70% of the crop’s total water requirement throughout its life cycle is needed during this critical period, making insufficient water a major threat to production.
For farmers, this means that the impact of El Niño may not simply be a question of lower yields. Failed or reduced harvests can translate into lost farm income, additional production costs and greater pressure on household food supplies.
Crop shifting as adaptation
DA-XI is encouraging farmers in vulnerable areas to consider drought-tolerant crops, including legumes, watermelon and other crops that can withstand moisture stress better than rice.
The strategy is intended to reduce exposure to water shortages rather than leave farmers to absorb the full cost of a failed rice crop.
But shifting crops also requires access to seeds, fertilizer, technical advice, markets and financing. Without those supports, crop diversification could simply transfer production risks from one crop to another.
DA-XI said it has funds under its Quick Response Fund that can be used to provide seedlings and fertilizers to farmers who request assistance.
The agency also plans to conduct climate-smart agriculture training, particularly for corn farmers. Leliza said about 99% of corn areas in the region are rain-fed, making them especially exposed to prolonged moisture stress.
Training will include soil-moisture testing and adaptive farming practices intended to help farmers make better decisions under changing weather conditions.
P729-million response
DA-XI said it has prepared an El Niño Action Plan with a P729-million budget covering three broad priorities: preparatory activities, maximizing production in areas considered less vulnerable, and protecting existing production in areas facing greater risk.
The plan also includes provisions for drugs, biologics and feeds, as well as a P50-million buffer stock for rice seeds, lowland vegetables and other crop seeds.
Those measures could provide an important safety net—but their effectiveness will ultimately depend on whether assistance reaches farmers before crops are damaged, rather than after losses have already occurred.
For rice farmers approaching the December-January critical period, the challenge is therefore twofold: adapt to less reliable water while keeping enough production going to protect household incomes and regional food supply.
With thousands of farmers and thousands of hectares already affected, the coming months will test whether the region’s climate adaptation measures can move quickly enough from an action plan on paper to timely support in the fields.
