In 2024, the agriculture sector in Western Visayas demonstrated resilience and maintained its position among the top five performing regions despite facing significant challenges such as El Niño, the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, and the African swine fever (ASF). Dennis Arpia, the Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture (DA), noted that while El Niño affected production per hectare, overall production across all commodities remained positive. The region experienced losses and damages amounting to approximately PHP1.7 billion, primarily impacting farmers and fisherfolk. In response, provinces like Iloilo and Antique declared a state of calamity.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that during the third quarter of 2024, Western Visayas produced 341,844 metric tons (MT) of palay (unhusked rice). Negros Occidental led with 126,545 MT, followed by Iloilo at 98,289 MT, Antique at 52,448 MT, Capiz at 46,490 MT, Guimaras at 11,336 MT, and Aklan at 6,788 MT. Irrigated palay contributed 211,120 MT, while rainfed palay added 130,724 MT. The region also produced 77,272 MT of corn, with Iloilo contributing the largest share at 38.5% or 7,990 hectares. For livestock and poultry, the region’s output included 4,281 MT of carabao, 4,206 MT of cattle, 24,743 MT of hog, and 1,310 MT of goat, with Negros Occidental accounting for half of the region’s livestock inventory. The poultry sector saw an inventory of 19.4 million chickens, with Iloilo and Negros Occidental as the top contributors.
To address these challenges, the DA is focusing on increasing hybrid rice production and identifying viable areas for corn cultivation. Arpia emphasized the importance of new technology and the high-level participation of local government units in sustaining farmer interest. In March, the Iloilo provincial government discussed priority programs and interventions, including Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.’s plan to establish agricultural management units to enhance farming practices and efficiency. The DA-Western Visayas allocated PHP16 million to boost palay production, PHP9 million for developing hybrid clusters, and PHP7 million for inbred rice clusters. Iloilo invested PHP451,662.49 in hybrid rice and PHP101,684.73 in inbred rice propagation. In Antique, the timely release of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund seed support facilitated immediate replanting, benefiting 22,228 farmer-beneficiaries with 66,710 bags of rice seeds. By November 2024, Antique farmers harvested 210,878.94 MT from 61,061.93 hectares, with optimism to surpass the 2023 production of 254,370.10 MT.
The DA also implemented the Farm and Fisheries Cluster and Consolidation Program, validating 138 clusters for rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, and organic farmers. Additionally, various trainings on agro-enterprise clustering approaches were provided to 12 clusters to enhance inclusive value chains.
On July 16, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) in Calinog, Iloilo, the largest water reservoir project outside Luzon. The JRMP II is expected to expand irrigation services by 9,500 hectares, benefiting 7,000 farmers across 17 towns in Iloilo and increasing water supply to five existing national irrigation systems, supporting 18,000 farmers across 22,340 hectares. Marcos highlighted that the project could increase annual rice production in Region 6 by 160,000 metric tons, nearly 20% of the region’s annual rice requirement. Arpia mentioned plans to utilize the irrigation canals for rice and other high-value crops, with a PHP100 million budget allocated for the Palayamanan Program, a rice-based integrated farming system.
The region is also recovering from the impact of ASF. While not fully back to normal, farmer confidence is gradually returning, with more areas shifting from red (infected) to pink (buffer zone) and from pink to yellow (high-risk). On October 4, the DA initiated its sentinelling program in Oton, Iloilo, where the first ASF cases were detected in 2022. According to the Bureau of Animal Industry’s December 16 report, of the 76 local government units affected by ASF in Western Visayas, 49 upgraded to the pink zone, and two progressed to yellow. Arpia noted the challenges of biosecurity in the region’s predominantly backyard hog farming and expressed optimism about higher confidence levels and assured production once field testing for ASF vaccination is completed. Swine farmers, particularly from Negros Occidental, have shown interest in vaccination. The DA’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiative for Recovery and Expansion program aims to counter ASF’s impact, supported by 30 sow-level multiplier farm projects and 30 sow-level production farms. The Agriculture Training Institute has also established artificial insemination centers. The PSA reported a third-quarter hog inventory of 598,257 in Western Visayas, with Negros Occidental contributing more than half at 356,234 heads and Antique at 75,551 heads.
Despite the separation of Negros Occidental from Western Visayas to form the Negros Island Region, Arpia assured continued support for the province during its transition phase, emphasizing the need for focused intervention to improve the agriculture sector.