The Davao City Agriculturist Office (CAgrO) intensified its efforts to safeguard Dabawenyo farmers against the impact of drought and ensure sustainable agricultural production across the city.
Christan John Abrenica, Engineer l, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Division of CAgrO, said that while drought cannot be avoided, its impact can be managed through preparation, technology and efficient water use to sustain production.
“Ang drought dili nagyud nato na malikayan pero pwede nato mapangandaman. Pinaagi sa water management ug pag gamit atung mag technology, mahimo nato nga mapadayon atung produksyon bisan sa kakulangan sa ulan (We cannot avoid the drought, but we can prepare for it. Through water management and the use of technology, we can continue our production even in the absence of rain),” he told Madayaw Davao over Davao City Disaster Radio on April 22, 2026.
One of these is the rainwater catchment project, which is intended to store rainwater for irrigation while collecting runoff water during heavy rains to minimize flash floods from the city’s upland parts to its lowland sections.
“Ang main purpose ani niya is to catch ang run off water sa ulan, dili siya mudiretso sa downstream na mag cause og flash flood. Another thing sa iyahang purpose kay i-catch man niya ang tubig, so naa tay pundo sa tubig, diraa rana mupasok ang atoang drought preparedness kay pwede ra gamiton as irrigation sa atoang mga farmers. Ginagamit pod siya og mga aquaculture production nga pwede nimo buhian og hito, tilapia, fish pond (The main purpose of this is to catch the runoff water from the rain, so it doesn’t flow directly downstream and cause a flash flood. It also catches water, so we have a water reserve, and that’s where our drought preparedness comes in because it can be used for irrigation by our farmers. It can also be used for aquaculture production where you can raise catfish, tilapia, and fish ponds),” he said.
Since its implementation in 2021, the city has established 695 rainwater catchment units located across different barangays.
Another method is the Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) which uses solar panels to collect sunlight and generate it into electricity to run submersible pumps that irrigate farms.
Abrenica further emphasized that in addition to infrastructure, farmers are being urged to use water-saving techniques including mulching, early morning crop watering, and drip and sprinkler systems.
Farmers who are interested in having a rainwater catchment in their area, water pumps, or small engines are encouraged to reach out to their barangays, which will forward the request to CAgrO by submitting a resolution via the district offices for evaluation. CIO
Written by: K. Malasado
Edited by: A. Nawal
Photo by: J. Faelnar