NIA adjusts cropping calendar amid climate change

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

In response to the adverse effects of climate change, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is exploring adjustments to the cropping calendar and planting patterns for rice farming.

NIA Administrator Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen told Daily Guardian on Tuesday, July 16, that revising the cropping calendar could mitigate agricultural losses during extreme weather events such as El Niño and La Niña.

“Ultimately, what we will be doing is to change the cropping calendar. We will have it science-based. We will check what time is the best time for planting,” he said.

He noted that in regions like Luzon, the traditional December planting season might be shifted to October.

Guillen explained that this adjustment would enable two cropping seasons before the dry season begins, with the wet season offering an additional, though less essential, cropping period.

In Luzon, the main planting season typically begins in June with harvesting occurring around September to October. A second cropping season starts in November or December and concludes around February to March.

In the Visayas, planting usually starts in May and ends in August, followed by a second season from October to January.

In Mindanao, planting schedules generally start in April to May for the first season and October to November for the second season.

Guillen also pointed out that the cropping intensity of farmers in the Philippines lags behind that of neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

“Currently, our cropping intensity in the country is 1.6 percent, unlike Vietnam, which has 3 percent,” he said.

He emphasized that if the cropping intensity is further increased to 2.6 percent, just one cropping season and another cropping season for the farmers could eliminate the need for rice imports to ensure food security.

A report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasted that the Philippines would remain the world’s top importer of rice for 2024.

The report estimates that the country will import 3.8 million metric tons (MT) of rice this year, up from the 3.22 million MT imported in 2023.

“The Philippines is projected to remain the number one global rice importer — taking a record 3.8 million tons — in 2024, followed by China, Indonesia, the European Union, Nigeria, and Iraq,” the report read.