By John Rey Saavedra
CEBU CITY – Responding to the needs of upland farming communities affected by the dry spell, the local government of this capital city is dispatching four water tankers.
Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., head of the city council’s agriculture committee, stated that the Cebu City Agriculture Office has been monitoring the situation in the farmlands, where agricultural yields were expected to supply local consumers.
The agriculture office reported that over 100 hectares of agricultural land are now affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
Alcover said the office, headed by city agriculturist Julito Baclayon, conducted an assessment in the 28 hinterland villages where farmers have already been complaining about a lack of water supply for their farm lots.
“We have coordinated with the Metro Cebu Water District so that we can make our existing fire hydrants sources of water for the tankers that will supply water to our farmers,” Alcover told the Philippine News Agency.
Alcover confirmed that some creeks and rivers are drying up, threatening the surrounding vegetable and livestock farms.
Baclayon also assured the farmers that the city is doubling its efforts to cushion the impact of the dry season on the agriculture sector in the city. (PNA)
