Philippines to conduct cloud seeding as El Nino threatens rice production

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) will conduct cloud seeding operations in Isabela province this month as El Nino continues to threaten food production, drying up about 31,000 hectares of rice fields served by the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System, local media reported on Monday.



According to The Philstar, the provincial government has also begun providing emergency assistance to affected farmers, while local agriculture officials were directed to expedite the validation of damaged farms to speed up the release of aid.



The DA has allocated mung bean seeds for thousands of farmers and is preparing other drought-resistant crops, including watermelon, corn and onion, to help them earn income while irrigation remains limited.



Authorities said the cloud seeding operations and emergency assistance are intended to boost rainfall, reduce crop losses and protect farmers' livelihoods as the prolonged dry spell continues.