Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture Lists Recommendations for Cocoa Amid of El Niño
Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture Lists Recommendations for Cocoa Amid of El Niño
Commodities Network (Bogota)- The Colombian agriculture ministry has launched a series of campaigns and financial instruments to mitigate the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
The government said there are COP95 billion Colombian pesos (US$21 million) to use in agricultural insurances that will pay growers for lost agricultural production related to the droughts that will bring El Niño.
Jorge Bedoya, president of the Colombian Farmers Society (SAC), said agricultural producers are doing everything in terms of water reservoirs, but that "depends on the investment capacity each has and that requires money,” he said.
The World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday, temperatures are expected to rise across the world after the El Nino weather pattern emerged in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years. The hottest temperatures, reached in 2016, will likely be broken, WMO added.
The El Niño has begun in Colombia and is expected to start impacting strongly in December through March 2024, Ideam said
For Cocoa
The Ministry of Agriculture issued a list of actions to counteract the effect of the El Niño.
For cocoa growers, the ministry did not recommend seedbeds or sow due to losses in germination and death of plants. The ministry said if they are already planted, resort to irrigation (drip or micro-sprinkler), use covers and hydro retainers. Do not perform heavy pruning. If necessary, do it in hours of lower temperature. Maintain live or dead cover between trees. In new crops (recently established), keep temporary shading and use fractions of the plantain or banana pseudo stem, placed 5 centimeters from the cocoa root to maintain moisture. Check the soil moisture conditions before carrying out fertilization tasks.
FOR COFFEE
For coffee growers, the Ministry did not recommend carrying out new plantings during the El Niño phenomenon. “ In the event that you decide to make new plantings, use shades to reduce the incidence of solar radiation and apply in the sprouters and seedbeds. Plant material that does not exceed 5-6 months of age should be brought to the field. Use water retainer.
For crops that are in their first year, considered a critical phase, it is recommended to add dead covers from weeding and pruning to the plate, or any organic material that conserves soil moisture through sustainable and improved agroecological management. This to increase the resilience of the soil, using organic fertilizers, composting, vermicompost and biopreparations.
Do not fertilize until the rains are regularized.
As long as the El Niño phenomenon persists, it is recommended to establish intercropping such as corn and beans.
Make water consumption more efficient during coffee processing.
In general terms for all agricultural producers, the ministry recommended:
• Monitor the information and alerts issued daily by weather institute IDEAM.
• • Look for alternate means of water supply for the animals.
• • Generate alternative mechanisms to shade crops and animals.
• • Generate an action plan against frost (they are the product of maximum and minimum temperatures).
• • Do not carry out burns, it is an obligation to guarantee the safety of your surroundings.
• • Schedule irrigation shifts so everyone has access to water.
• • Build reservoirs to store water (preferably covered).
• • Generate plans for pest control. Identify alternative sources of water such as wells, cisterns and do the necessary maintenance to these.
• • Participate in public information and education activities on the rational use of water and the prevention of risks to which it is exposed.
• • In the event of a plant cover fire, notify the local authorities and relief agencies.
By Diana Delgado
