One thousand bales of fodder, one thousand bags of molasses and 400 bags of food for animal consumption are part of the immediate support provided to producers in the country, as part of the first actions undertaken by the Emergency Committee, which develops the plan “Against drought, for life and food. A government in action”, of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
According to the National Director of Livestock, Avelino Ureña, the 400 bags of food for animal consumption contain 12% protein and will be distributed by MIDA technicians, starting in the province of Los Santos and Herrera, this Wednesday, May 17, later The distribution of these aids will continue to the extent that the factories are removing the product.
On the other hand, the National Director of Agriculture, Jorge Rivas pointed out that they are carrying out an inventory and sweep of the priority items (rice, corn and beans) to see the possible affectations in some areas in a first stage, and that rice is more in the arena because the planting should already begin.
He also stressed that, in view of the forecast for July and August, a projection is being made designing a plan to help the producers who need it most, such as subsistence farmers and small producers of seeds, phytosanitary supplies and fertilizers.
In the same way, the National Directorate of Rural Engineering and Irrigation of MIDA is working on deep wells, of which by this year 2023 a total of 191 have already been drilled in the provinces of Chiriquí, Veraguas, Herrera, Coclé, Panamá Oeste and Los Santos. . From 2019 to date, the total number of drilled wells is 1,953.
The Minister of MIDA Augusto Valderrama called for working together to face the climate crisis that affects small producers in the country, especially in Herrera, Los Santos, Coclé and Veraguas, and that could increase due to the lack of rain in the coming months.
He stressed that, by instructions of the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, a high priority is being given to this issue, in support of the country’s ranchers and agricultural producers, which will guarantee the food security of Panamanians.
It is important to mention that MIDA’s Agro-environmental and Climate Change Unit (UACC) works with the Agroclimatic Technical Tables (MTA) in the country, in the provinces of Veraguas, Chiriquí, Los Santos, Herrera, Coclé and Colón, where it is generated and disseminates Agroclimatic information with the participation of producers, the private sector, representatives of institutions in the agricultural sector, Non-Governmental Organizations, academia and local authorities.
From April 24 to 28, these Tables were implemented for the period May, June and July 2023, where the technical recommendations contained in the agroclimatic bulletin edition No. 15 were generated, which generally concluded that there is a significantly high probability that the The El Niño phenomenon may form at the end of the period of validity of this perspective (May/July). For the next forecast of the Climate Forum (in July 2023) there will be greater clarity of the development and intensity of this phenomenon.
