BAGUIO CITY – To promote climate-resilient agricultural practices and serve as a defense against the adverse impacts of climate variability on farming communities in the Cordillera, the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR) is currently expanding its climate information system in the six provinces and two cities with the adoption of the Agro-Climatic Advisory Portal (ACAP).
The system will help farmers and fisherfolk to handle and manage disturbances in the weather that may affect farm and fishing operations through this pioneering system user-centric platform, strategically designed to transform how stakeholders in the agriculture sector engage with climate-related data.
This digital tool developed and piloted by the department 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 earlier directed by DA. Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is to be implemented in all the regional field offices in the country.
Crisante Rosario, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Officer of DA-CAR explained CIS-ACAP emphasizes accessibility, automation, and collaboration, representing technological advancement in information that is relevant to the operational activities of farms in the region.
“This web-based architecture is a crucial tool that promotes sustainable agricultural practices that ensure continuous access of the local government units (LGUs) and farmers on updated weather information and crop-specific recommendations, fostering informed decision-making within the agricultural landscape. Through this portal, the stakeholders will be given advance information on how they can manage their farm before any changes in the weather,” Rosario said.
DA-CAR is currently developing its own ACAP that will be integrated into the central ACAP Philippine portal to establish 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 which are the farmers. The Regional ACAP is administered and managed by DA-CAR, while the Comprehensive Crop Insurance System (CCIS) is managed and administered by the Central Office’s Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (CRAO) of the department,” Rosario added.
The portal features content customization and crop-specific recommendations equipping farmers with the tools needed for precision farming, laying down the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future.
The core of CCIS’s functionality is its commitment to 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.
The key features and functions of the CCIS are Web-Based Accessibility which ensures accessibility anytime, anywhere, and on any device for users; Data Integration from PAGASA that seamlessly connects to the weather bureau through an application programming interface (API) to retrieve weather forecast data, including 10-day forecasts, seasonal forecasts, and special weather forecasts, aside from allowing for the manual download and upload of data not available through the API: Stakeholder Database Management that incorporates a built-in database profile for farmers, fisherfolk, and stakeholders, including their mobile numbers and emails.
Data entry and updates are managed by regional offices of the DA and LGU users. An Automated Communication that enables automated email and SMS broadcasting for the Farm Weather Outlook and advisory for specific recommendations allows regional users to administer content on a case-to-case basis.
Crop-specific recommendations that integrate crop-specific information recommendations based on weather forecasts helps farmers make informed decisions about planting and harvesting: Content customization permits editing of the final output by authorized individuals in the region or central office before broadcasting.
A feedback mechanism from farmers as recipients via a web form, ensures continuous improvement and user engagement. By JTLlanes
