Peasant group urges gov't to act urgently as 'super' El Niño looms

LUCENA CITY – A national peasant organization on Monday urged the government to take immediate action as forecasts indicate that El Niño could intensify to very strong levels and persist until early 2027. “The latest El Niño forecast should serve as a serious wake-up call for the government,” the Kilusan Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (Katarungan) said in a statement. “For millions of small-scale farmers, this is not simply a weather forecast—it is a warning of another season of potential crop failures, lost incomes, worsening food insecurity, and the further erosion of rural livelihoods,” the group added. READ: Pagasa: Over 60% chance of El Niño intensifying from August onwards According to Katarungan, the climate crisis is no longer a future threat; rather, “it is a present reality that farmers confront every planting season.” Last week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said there is now more than a 60 percent probability that El Niño conditions will intensify during the latter part of the year. Ana Liza Solis, chief of Pagasa’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, said the warming episode could peak in the first quarter of 2027. El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by unusually warm temperatures in parts of the Pacific Ocean that affect weather conditions in many countries, including the Philippines. It often brings below-normal rainfall across much of the country, increasing the likelihood of dry spells and drought. In anticipation of the weather phenomenon, the Marcos administration has been accelerating investments in irrigation and water management projects to help farmers cope with drought and improve resilience to climate-related disasters. READ: Don’t dismiss El Niño impact, Speaker Dy tells execs The government is also promoting drought-resistant, less water-intensive crops and encouraging the use of climate-adaptive technologies such as solar-powered irrigation pumps and water recycling systems in drought-prone areas. Katarungan welcomed the government’s recognition of the looming El Niño threat and its commitment to strengthening irrigation systems, promoting climate-resilient farming, and preparing the country’s food and water sectors. “These initiatives are necessary, especially in light of the devastating impacts of the 2023-2024 El Niño, which caused billions of pesos in agricultural losses,” the group said. However, it stressed that preparedness should extend beyond infrastructure projects and policy announcements. READ: Gov’t boosting climate-resilient farming amid El Niño threat – Marcos “The true measure of preparedness is whether support reaches small-scale farmers before crops fail, livelihoods are lost, and food prices rise,” the group said. Danny Carranza, Katarungan secretary general, said that despite government advisories, many farmers have inadequate irrigation, limited access to climate-resilient technologies, and insufficient financial assistance. “Every severe El Niño means reduced harvests, dried-up farmlands, livestock losses, mounting debts, and rising food prices,” Carranza said in a phone interview. He also said the continued liberalization of agricultural trade, coupled with recurring extreme weather events, exposes the country’s long-standing failure to build a resilient and self-reliant agricultural sector. According to Carranza, government responses have remained largely reactive rather than preventive, forcing farmers to shoulder the costs of a crisis they did not create. “Protecting farmers today is the most effective way to protect the nation’s food supply tomorrow,” he said. Katarungan called on the government to improve irrigation and community water management systems, provide climate-resilient seeds and planting materials, expand production subsidies, emergency financial assistance, and crop insurance, invest in sustainable farming practices, and strengthen support for local food production and Filipino farmers. Carranza said preparing for El Niño is not merely about responding to an impending drought. “It is about protecting people’s right to food and farmers’ right to a secure livelihood,” he said. Without decisive government action, he warned, the consequences will extend beyond the country’s farms and affect the nation’s food supply, economy, and overall stability. “Food sovereignty begins with the capacity of Filipino farmers to feed the nation. If the government fails to protect those who produce the country’s food, the entire nation will bear the consequences,” Carranza said./coa