(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Monday, 11 November 2024) At 3:00 AM today, the center of Typhoon "NIKA" {TORAJI} was estimated based on all available data at 120 km East Southeast of Casiguran, Aurora (15.9°N, 123.2°E) with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h and gustiness of up to 150 km/h. It is moving West Northwestward at 20 km/h. TROPICAL CYCLONE OUTSIDE PAR AS OF 3:00 AM TODAY SEVERE TROPICAL STORM YINXING (2422) (FORMERLY "MARCE") LOCATION: 880 KM WEST OF NORTHERN LUZON (18.5°N, 112.2°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 110 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 135 KM/H MOVEMENT: SOUTHWESTWARD AT 15 KM/H TROPICAL STORM MAN-YI (2424) LOCATION: 3,555 KM EAST OF CENTRAL LUZON (15.2°N, 154.8°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 85 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 105 KM/H MOVEMENT: EASTWARD SLOWLY TROPICAL DEPRESSION LOCATION: 1,685 KM EAST OF EASTERN VISAYAS (11.4°N, 141.2°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 45 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 55 KM/H MOVEMENT: WEST NORTHWESTWARD AT 35 KM/H ๐—™๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—–๐—”๐—ฆ๐—ง ๐—ช๐—˜๐—”๐—ง๐—›๐—˜๐—ฅ ๐—–๐—ข๐—ก๐——๐—œ๐—ง๐—œ๐—ข๐—ก: Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.


Wednesday, 7 February 2024

DA provides resilient farming technology to flood-affected farmers in Agusan Sur

By Jennifer Gaitano

Engr. Ricardo Oรฑate, Jr., regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga, partnered with the Missionary of the Sacred Heart Congregation - Center for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative (MSC-CEPAGCO) in Talacogon, for the operation and management of Parboiling Project, which is geared towards improving the livelihood of the farmer organizations. Photo courtesy of DA-Caraga.

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recently turned over the operation and management of a parboiling project to the Missionary of the Sacred Heart Congregation - Center for the Poor Agricultural Cooperative (MSC-CEPAGCO) in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur.

DA Caraga Regional Executive Director Ricardo Oรฑate, Jr., said providing significant farming technology to the farmers in the flood-affected communities will help them  adapt to modern and resilient farming.

The facility included a parboiling section, dryer, and multi-pass rice mill. To maximize its use, the facility also added other technologies, including a multi-commodity solar tunnel dryer, a seed warehouse, a Pinawa mill, and a multi-purpose drying pavement (MPDP).

Headed by Fr. Rollie Richie Gomez, the MSC - CEPAGCO entered into an agreement with the DA-Caraga and local government unit of Talacogon to take over the management and operation of the parboiling project. 

"With this intervention from DA-Caraga, we are optimistic that the farmers' yield will increase as well as their income. This will definitely make farming easier and more convenient despite the inconvenience caused by the flooding brought about by the weather disturbance, especially in the province of Agusan del Sur," said Gomez.

According to Engr. Ricardo Oรฑate Jr., regional executive director of DA-Caraga, “The parboiling technology in rice production, which is ideal for flood-prone areas like Talacogon, is done in three steps which are soaking, steaming, and drying.”

“Parboiling or partial boiling of the paddy before milling increases its nutritional value, changes the texture of cooked rice, and reduces the breakage in milling,” explained Dir. Oรฑate.

Oรฑate further emphasized the importance of coordination and cooperation between the DA, the local government unit (LGU), and the farmers’ group for the development of the agriculture industry not just in the town of Talacogon but in the entire region.

The MSC-CEPAGCO is a non-profit organization that is centered on providing sustainable livelihood programs in agriculture to empower farmers, fisherfolk, disadvantaged youth, and indigenous people in the community. (JPG, PIA-Caraga, with a report from DA-Caraga)