DOST eyes tech interventions as Super El Niño looms

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is preparing technologies to help farmers cope with possible below-normal rainfall amid concerns over a “Super El Niño” that could persist into early 2027, as the government keeps watch over its potential effects on agriculture and food production.

In his keynote address during the 2026 Regional Science and Technology Week, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. raised the prospect of below-normal rainfall becoming more widespread in the coming months and linked changing weather conditions to Cagayan Valley’s agricultural sector.

Solidum stressed the need to use science and technology to help farmers sustain production amid changing weather conditions, particularly through better water management, climate information and agricultural technologies.

Speaking at a press conference later in the day, Solidum said DOST has been developing technologies that could help farmers cope with limited water supply, including mobile solar-powered irrigation systems.

He cited a Solar Irrigation Trailer Unit developed through DOST Region III in partnership with a university, which can be transported from one agricultural area to another.

“Once you irrigate a farmer’s land using solar [irrigation], you can move it to the next farmer’s land,” Solidum said, highlighting its practicality.

The Science chief also cited more efficient irrigation methods that could be adopted by farmers.

“We have irrigation systems that farmers can learn to use, like drip irrigation systems or furrow irrigation systems,” he added.

The science chief also shared that the government is also relying on forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to anticipate rainfall conditions several months ahead.

“Definitely, PAGASA’s bread and butter is forecasting. We have forecasts up to February. It is moving, and [the dry conditions] could spill over for at least a quarter,” the secretary explained.

Solidum said preparations should therefore look beyond conditions for the remainder of 2026, noting that current water reserves may be sufficient this year following consecutive months of rainfall.

“It may be okay for this year, but what about next year? That is our concern,” he lamented.

The rainfall outlook is particularly significant for Cagayan Valley, a major rice and corn-producing region, where prolonged dry conditions could threaten agricultural productivity and farmers’ livelihoods.