BAGUIO CITY – To assist farmers and fisherfolk in handling and managing weather disturbances that may affect their farm and fishing operations, the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) reminds the said agriculture stakeholders to access the department’s Climate Information Service-Agro Climatic Advisory Portal (CIS-ACAP) Cordillera.
This digital tool, developed and piloted by the DA in the Bicol region, is an online web portal that automatically generates and disseminates climate information services like climate and weather-informed farming and fishing advisories.
The said portal provides farmers and fisherfolk with accessibility, automation, and collaboration on technological advancement in information relevant to the operational activities of farms in the Cordillera. The strategically designed portal aims to transform how stakeholders in the agriculture sector engage with climate-related data.
Crisante Rosario, DA-CAR CIS-ACAP Project Leader, explained that the CIS-ACAP also promotes climate-resilient agricultural practices and serves as a defense against the adverse impacts of weather and climate variability on farming communities in the region through advanced information on how stakeholders can pro-actively manage their farms before any undesired incident or disaster happens or takes place.
“Aside from its web-based functionality, a progressive mobile app version was also initiated for easier access including the local government units (LGUs) and other users. This tool promotes sustainable agriculture practices as it will keep farmers updated on weather information and crop-specific recommendations fostering informed decision-making within the agricultural landscape,” Rosario said.
DA-CAR’s ACAP climate information has been linked into the portal of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) climate data, thus establishing better coordination and dissemination of advisories.
“The inclusion of a stakeholder database management system further enhances collaboration, allowing DA-CAR users to manage profiles for farmers and other stakeholders efficiently. This is also part of the extension services the department provides to the LGUs by cascading this information system to its main stakeholders, the farmers,” Rosario added.
The portal features the 10-day weather forecast, seasonal climate outlook, and special weather forecast as well as content customization and crop-specific recommendations that corresponds to the possible effect or impact of weather and climate forecast, cropping calendars equipping farmers with the tools needed for precision farming, laying down the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future by empowering users with timely and relevant data.
With its seamless integration with PAGASA, the system retrieves a comprehensive range of weather forecasts, complemented by manual data uploads when necessary. By JTLlanes
