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Fighting El Niño: The plight of tobacco farmers in Pinili, Ilocos Norte

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Andreana Chavez, PCP handout

<p>PINILI, Ilocos Norte — The scarcity of water has long been a burden for local tobacco farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the successful cultivation of their cash crop.</p><p>The lack of sufficient water supply adversely affects various crops, including tobacco, eventually resulting to decreased yields and financial hardships for the farmers.</p><p>In a determined effort to combat the persistent issue of water scarcity, a group of proactive farmers in the community of Bulbulala in Pinili town, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, has taken matters into their own hands.</p><p>Led by Tatay Marino Estabillo, these farmers have found a creative solution to irrigate their crops despite the challenges brought by the El Niño phenomenon, which is forecast to affect the Philippines through the first half of 2024.</p><p>Tatay Marino and other farmers had to devise an innovative approach to address this pressing issue.</p><p>The group ingeniously connected a large hose directly to a water pump or &quot;poso&quot; to irrigate their fields. This makeshift irrigation system provides a lifeline for the crops, ensuring their survival during the dry season.</p><p>Expressing his hope for a more sustainable future, Tatay Marino emphasized: &quot;Dakkel a tulong no adda irigasionmi ditoy&quot; (It would be a significant help if we had irrigation here). </p><p>The local farmers firmly believe that establishing a reliable water irrigation system is crucial to securing a brighter future not only for themselves but also for their families.</p><p>Their story highlights the importance of community-driven initiatives and the potential for innovation to alleviate agricultural hardships, ultimately paving the way for a more resilient agricultural sector in the region.</p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/1-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/2-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/3-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/4-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/5-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/6-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/7-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/8-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/9-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/12/17/10-irrigation-tobacco-farming-ac.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Like liquid diamonds, the water glistens as it streams from the hose, giving life and vitality to the parched land. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A tobacco farmer pours water onto the dried soil in a desperate bid to nourish their crops and safeguard their livelihoods. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Marino Estabillo leads farmers as they diligently water crops using a large hose. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The meager water supply is simply not enough to meet the needs of the community in Bulbulala, especially during the dry season, according to the farmers. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Children assist farmers in fetching water for their daily agricultural activities. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Marino Estabillo&#x27;s face reflects years of hard work and determination, as he stands in his tobacco field. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Marino Estabillo tends to his tobacco plantation in Bulbulala amid the dry season. Cracks are evident from the soil&#x27;s dryness, and the tobacco plants appear withered, struggling to survive. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>With meticulous care, farmers follow the age-old tradition of flattening their tobacco leaves before delicately arranging them within the furnace, commencing the crucial process of drying. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The tobacco plants are hung for drying, the culmination of the farmers&#x27; hard work and the fruits of all their efforts. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Mariano Estabillo emerges from the furnace after processing tobacco leaves, demonstrating years of mastery in the process of tobacco drying. <cite>Andreana Chavez</cite></p></div></div></div><div><em>NOTE: This story was produced during the 15th Professional Photojournalism and Documentary Photography workshop of the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (<a href="http://www.pcp.ph">PCP</a>) In Ilocos Norte on November 22-25, 2023.</em></div>

These farmers have found a creative solution to irrigate their crops despite the challenges brought by the El Niño phenomenon.

Fighting El Niño: The plight of tobacco farmers in Pinili, Ilocos Norte

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Fighting El Niño: The plight of tobacco farmers in Pinili, Ilocos Norte

Andreana Chavez,

PCP handout

Published December 17, 2023 05:15 PM PHT

Read More:

Ilocos Norte

Tobacco farmers

Bulbulala in Pinili town

water supply

water scarcity

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