Damage to agriculture in Western Visayas as a result of the adverse El Niño climate phenomenon has come to nearly P2 billion. Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas (DA-6) Regional Director, Roy Abaya said agriculture in the region has incurred losses mainly among rice and corn farmers in Panay and Guimaras islands. Combined total damage to rice and corn farmers in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo provinces is pegged at P1.6 billion. The remainder of the nearly P2 billion in damage refers to other types of agricultural crops. Last March, estimated damage to agricultural products in the region as a result of the prolonged dry season was estimated at only P1.27 billion. Of the five provinces in the region, Iloilo suffered the biggest damage to rice crops, that is, worth P898 million. Capiz ranked second with losses estimated at P107.8 million. Combined damage in terms of corn production is pegged at almost P74 million. These damages were recorded starting October 2015, when the first wave of El Niño started, until March 2016, when farmers were supposed to have started harvesting their crops. Abaya said DA-6 has about P42 million in funds which is meant to be used for curbing the ill effects of El Niño to the region’s agricultural sector. The fund, he said, is mainly for supplemental irrigation as well as distribution of climate change resilient types of rice seeds. Meanwhile, the agency is cautioning local government units in the region not to hurriedly declare a state of calamity just because of crop damages. Source - mb.com.ph