While Typhoon Ulysses has long gone and dissolved in the international waters, its effects on Philippine agriculture may extend as far as the fourth quarter, in particular an estimated loss of P34.37 billion in rice crops.
According to a report released by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, Philippine rice production may decline by 5 percent in the fourth quarter or an estimated loss of 939.17 metric tons, resulting in a high chance for the agriculture sector posting negative growth.
The estimated value of rice production losses in Cagayan Valley in the fourth quarter alone translates to a 12-percent reduction in the projected value of crops in the country.
The massive flooding in Cagayan Valley due to Typhoon "Ulysses" was one big factor that affected the projected rice yields in the fourth quarter.
Cagayan Valley is a rice granary of the northern Philippines and comprises the major rice-producing provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.
Recovery efforts especially in the rice-farming communities in Cagayan Valley would require substantial financial stimulus to afford the farmers the necessary capital to bounce back, the agency said.
"Immediate response would mean adoption of a highly adaptable set of integrated technological intervention for the agriculture sector. But as our country remains to be vulnerable to typhoons year in and year out, a systemic future-proofing intervention is surely needed and enabled by the transformative level of innovations necessary to make it operational and sustainable," SEARCA said.
Despite the projected slash in rice output, SEARCA said that among the major economic sectors of the country, it was only the agriculture sector that had managed to achieve a positive growth since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It should be noted that the positive 0.7 percent growth of the agriculture sector in third quarter of 2020 was largely due to the favorable crops production, particularly rice and corn, SEARCA reported. However, crop production systems are highly vulnerable to the typhoons that have been increasing both in intensity and frequency.
SEARCA's main mandate is to build capacities in agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia.
From 2020 to 2025, SEARCA's programs are geared towards accelerating transformation through agricultural innovation to elevate the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable livelihoods and access to modern networks and innovative markets.
Its five-year development strategy is articulated through its core programs on Education and Collective Learning via Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development and Training for Development, Research and Thought Leadership and Emerging Innovation for Growth.