DA seeks P30M boost for cloud seeding as Negros drought damage mounts

BACOLOD CITY — Agricultural officials in Negros Occidental are moving to secure emergency funding for intensified weather modification efforts as drought-induced crop damage continues to mount across the island region.

The Department of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region announced Tuesday it is seeking P30 million in supplemental appropriations to sustain cloud seeding operations through December. Regional Director Albert Barrogo said the additional resources are critical to combat ongoing moisture stress affecting agricultural productivity in the province.

Crop damage tallied so far has reached P41.9 million, reflecting significant losses to farmers across multiple growing areas experiencing extended dry conditions. Officials have attributed the damage primarily to moisture stress resulting from the prolonged dry spell affecting the region.

Cloud seeding represents a key intervention strategy employed by agricultural authorities to induce rainfall during drought periods and protect crop yields. The requested P30 million would extend operational capacity for these weather modification activities through the remainder of the year, providing continued support to affected farming communities.

Photo: A young sugarcane field in Barangay Haguimit, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. divina_gracia via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).