PhilRice develops climate maps for rice farming

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has developed a climate-smart platform to assist rice farmers during El Niño events. This platform provides maps that identify areas potentially affected by El Niño and offers guidance on adaptive farming practices. The Vulnerability Risk Assessment maps consider several factors, including drought exposure, crop sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.

The maps use color-coded levels to indicate the vulnerability of different areas. Green indicates low vulnerability, encouraging farmers to proceed with planting while employing water-efficient practices like alternate wetting and drying. Yellow marks moderately vulnerable areas, where farmers should still continue planting but consult local governments (LGUs) on adjusted planting schedules, securing crop insurance, and using drought-tolerant varieties.

Highly vulnerable areas, marked in orange, are advised to temporarily shift to less water-intensive crops such as corn, mung bean, watermelon, and pechay. Red-marked areas, facing severe drought and water shortages, may require farmers to defer rice planting and explore alternative livelihoods, such as livestock production and other income-generating activities.

Beltran, head of PhilRice's Data Analytics Center, emphasized that these maps help farmers understand their vulnerability and guide LGUs in agricultural planning and delivering timely support. Additional water-saving options recommended include direct seeding, solar-powered irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and integrated farming systems.