NegOr coconut farmers urged to diversify amid El Niño

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DUMAGUETE CITY – Coconut farmers in Negros Oriental are urged to diversify their crops and sources of income as a very strong El Niño threatens to affect the...

ASSISTANCE. Coconut farmers inquire from Philippine Coconut Authority personnel about registration and other matters during the Provincial Coconut Summit in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on Friday (Nov. 13, 2026). Government agencies and private financing companies were present at the summit to provide services to the coconut farmers. (PNA photo by Mary Judaline Flores Partlow)

DUMAGUETE CITY – Coconut farmers in Negros Oriental are urged to diversify their crops and sources of income as a very strong El Niño threatens to affect the province through early 2027.

On Friday, some 100 coconut farmers attended the Provincial Coconut Summit 2026 here, organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Negros Oriental.

Bernard Limbaga, head of the Department of Agriculture-Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (DA-PATCO) in Negros Oriental, said the agency is offering coconut farmers free Wagyu cattle and dairy and meat goat semen to encourage livestock production as an alternative source of income.

He said coconut farms provide suitable conditions for raising cattle and goats, allowing farmers to generate additional earnings from higher-value meat production.

During the summit, DA-PATCO also distributed sacks of corn seeds and mung bean seeds to farmers, with fertilizers set to be provided at a later date.

Limbaga said the agency is also considering cloud seeding as a possible intervention during the anticipated dry spell.

In addition, a DA-PATCO mobile soil testing laboratory will be deployed to different areas upon request to assess conditions and help farmers identify crops suitable for their land.

He said the agency has funding under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) to support farmers through training, the provision of seeds for livelihood diversification and livestock upgrading.

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