By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is considering cloud seeding as the solution to the ongoing dry spell in the province.
Lacson said cloud seeding is one of the options the provincial government has to conduct to alleviate dry weather conditions.
“That is always an option. When there is a long drought, we always request cloud seeding,” Lacson said.
“This is also good because, as you can experience, there are clouds. In fact, we also experience rainfall,” he added.
When asked if he had received reports from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) about crop damage caused by the dry spell, Lacson said there is a possibility of damage to agriculture in some localities in Negros Occidental.
“I’m also interested to know if there are areas with reported damage because of the dry spell,” he said.
It is also possible that the province’s agricultural production may fall slightly due to the dry spell.
Lacson pointed out that switching to drought-resistant plants such as root crops could alleviate the agricultural damage.
He also wants all irrigation canals in the province to be fixed to prevent wasting water supply.
Lacson said the province could initiate cloud seeding with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
On Sunday, April 16, Negros Occidental 5th district Congressman Emilio Dino Yulo III requested the provincial government, the DA and the SRA for eventual cloud seeding.
Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique which aims to enhance precipitation from clouds.
“We are in the middle of planting and cultivation, particularly in the sugar industry. This extreme heat, and probably a dry spell in the coming weeks, will have a drastic effect on our agriculture,” Yulo said.
He said the concerned government agencies can come up with a plan to start scheduling cloud seeding activities so that the industry will not suffer from these extreme weather conditions,” he said.
The lawmaker added that efforts should be made to ensure the sugar industry will increase its productivity, after recording a low output in the last crop year compared to previous years.
Earlier, OPA head Dr. Edmundo Causing said they are closely monitoring the water supply for irrigation of the province’s agricultural fields./With a report from PNA / DGB, WDJ