What seems to be a scenic landscape of rustic Alamada terrains (which I can’t avoid comparing to Batanes scenery) is a heart-breaking ordeal for the local corn farmers.
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| Too young to die. Corn farmers are left helpless watching their crops dying fast. These corns are browned to death by the dry spell. Most are still in their juvenile stage and were just beginning or about to flower. Farming in this part of Mindanao depends only on rain and dew to water their farm. Both were long gone. |
The field had long been dead because of a long dry spell and drought that started long ago late last year. El Niño phenomenon was blamed.
What is horrifying is that the worst is yet to come. Pag-Asa on its weather analysis declared that the dry season has just started mid-March and may stay until the end of June.
This will result in the deaths of livestock and other food sources. That can be translated as eventual starvation and chaotic lives of local farmers in areas bordering the ranges of between Alamada (North Cotabato) and Wao (Lanao del Sur).
