World · Philippines Bureau
Agusan del Sur rice farmers halt planting as El Niño drought deepens
Farmers in Agusan del Sur are making difficult decisions to abandon planting this season as prolonged dry conditions from El Niño threaten crop viability and livelihoods across the region.
LSN Philippines ·
SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR — Members of agricultural cooperatives in this Mindanao province are foregoing planting altogether as El Niño conditions persist, with some farmers determining that crop losses would exceed potential gains.
Alex Moreno, a member of the Sta. Ana Farmers Association in Barangay Sta. Ana, made the difficult choice to leave his fields fallow rather than plant rice during what would normally be the July planting season. The decision reflects broader concerns among regional farmers about moisture availability and crop survival prospects under the sustained dry weather pattern.
The El Niño phenomenon, characterized by warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures that suppress rainfall across Southeast Asia, has created challenging conditions for rain-dependent agricultural communities. Farmers in the region face a calculus of rising input costs against diminished water availability for irrigation and crop maintenance.
Local agricultural authorities and farmer associations continue to assess damage and develop contingency plans for affected communities. The situation underscores the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability in the Philippines, where agriculture remains central to rural economies and food security.