ECHAGUE, Isabela, Oct. 9 — Rice and corn farmers in the town of Echague were urged to plant drought-resistant crops to avert the threat of El Nino in the coming months.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has predicted that the country may feel the effect of El Nino in the last quarter of this year.

Yolanda Alog, municipal agriculturist, said rice and corn farmers should not only plant rice and corn but also must also consider planting of drought-resistant crops to avoid losses when El Nino affects the province in the coming months.

Alog suggested to farmers to plant root crops like cassava, gabi, ginger and others that can withstand drought.

El Nino phenomenon usually and greatly affects the agriculture sector due to the absence of rainfall.

Rice, corn and fish farmers are the mostly affected if there are no mitigating measures to be done in the said sector.

The municipal agriculture office personnel have now started to visit all the barangays to encourage the farmers to plant alternative crops to rice and corn and those that are drought resistant. [(PNA)LAP/SCD/MEDALE]