According to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), "El Niño will mainly affect agricultural activities, such as the planting schedule, water consumption and the supply and demand for agricultural products."

Thus, this government agency invited other authorities to maintain active contingency plans developed for the drought season affecting most of the Colombian territory.

"Although El Niño still has not consolidated, the warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean has influenced climate behaviour in Colombia by reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures," added the IDEAM.

According to the agency, there is an 80% probability that El Niño, which is caused by the warming of Pacific waters, will affect Colombia, although its intensity may be moderate.

The country is on alert these days as it is undergoing abrupt climatic conditions characterized by a lack of rain and high temperatures that, by day, reach 38 degrees Celsius in parts of the Atlantic coast, especially in the departments of Bolívar and Cesar, and in Tolima and Cundinamarca, central Colombia.

At night, the temperature drops to near zero degrees Celsius and there have been frosts that have affected the agricultural sector in regions such as the plain of Bogota, Cundinamarca, and Boyacá, in the central Andean region of the country.

According to the union of potato producers from Cundinamarca and Boyacá, the night chill has burned 70% of the potato crops in their areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture has stated that there will be no shortages in food supply even though the extreme cold has also put at risk the fruits and flowers production and the livestock sector has reduced its production of milk.

The ministry of Agriculture, together with the IDEAM and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), designed an action plan to address the possible effects of climatic changes in the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors.

Their goal is to "design and implement tools and strategies that aim to manage climate risk through actions and measures that identify, prevent, mitigate and adapt to the risks," said Deputy Minister of Agricultural Affairs, Hernán Román Calderón.

According to the UNGRD, the climate change began in late December after the rainfall cycle in some regions came to an end.

The authorities have taken steps to encourage water saving, which include the imposition of fines on those who waste the resource.

The UNGRD recommended that all public, private and community sectors save water to meet upcoming needs, including combating forest fires.

There have been 71 wildfires recorded in the first seven days of this year in Colombia, 60 of which have already been suffocated, stated the UNGRD.

Source - http://www.freshplaza.com