By WENDY F. RANCHE and LESLIE Y. VALDEZ
www.nordis.net

Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

TADIAN, Mt.Province — The Montañosa Research and Development Center (MRDC) together with the farmers/gardeners of Mountain Province held a workshop on El Niño during the decentralized 26th Cordillera Day celebrations here.

The purpose of the said workshop is how the farmers/gardeners from different parts of MP can adapt their ways of farming to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. The said workshop was facilitated by MRDC representatives Carol Bagyan and Leon Ambatcan.
The participants shared their experiences and views on the onslaught of the long dry season and the problems they met because of the water crisis.

Peter M. Gawec, a farmer from the nearby municipality of Bauko was the one who shared their experiences. “Gapu iti El Niño nagbettak ti daga nga taltalunen mi ket kas resulta na bimmassit ti apit mi pati pay ti kalawa ti taltalunen mi.” (Because of El Niño, cracks appeared in our farm land that resulted to low harvest of crops and even the area we are tilling is reduced.)

According to the participants from Sagada, their harvest this year was lessened by 10% because of the El Niño. Participants from Bontoc, Lenga and Abungo said the same.

Furthermore it was observed that aside from El Niño as a main problem of farmers and gardeners, added problems like birds, giant earthworms, otot (field rats) and other pests which destroy their crops were prevalent.

After sharing all their problems on farming, the participants listened to a lecture about the positive effects of using organic fertilizer over commercial fertilizers. The farmers also discussed ways of adaptation and mitigation on the El Niño effects. # nordis.net