More than 4,500 farmers managing 3,300 farms across 230 mil hectares of sugarcane in the geographic valley of the Cauca River have activated comprehensive contingency plans ahead of the El Niño phenomenon, according to the Colombian association of sugarcane producers and suppliers, Procaña. With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration placing the probability of El Niño above 80%, the agricultural sector across 50 municipalities is executing targeted conservation and water-management strategies to mitigate severe drought and high temperatures.
Procaña and Cenicaña Implementation of Drought Measures
Procaña executive director Marcela Urueña Gómez stated that the sector is actively implementing technical recommendations issued by the sugarcane research center, Cenicaña, to protect both crop yields and farm workers. Growers are optimizing irrigation schedules to achieve substantial water savings, adjusting soil fertilization protocols, and continuously monitoring soil moisture levels. According to Procaña, producers are also strictly enforcing protocols to prevent agricultural fires associated with rising ambient temperatures, alongside rolling out extensive educational outreach campaigns for affiliates and regional agricultural workers.
Asocaña Water Sustainability and Basin Conservation
Complementing on-farm preparations, Asocaña has reinforced its Water Sustainable Management Action Plan across 850,000 hectares dedicated to protecting strategic ecosystems spanning 29 municipalities and 26 hydrographic basins. Established in 2009, the conservation initiative has accumulated investments totaling 55,000 million pesos, supporting community-backed efforts to strengthen local water sources and organize structured irrigation shifts during periods of deficit.
Agricultural Insurance and Government Coordination
To safeguard against potential financial shocks, sugarcane sector representatives met directly with the Minister of Agriculture to advocate for expanded access to the agricultural insurance incentive program. According to Procaña, implementing a parametric insurance scheme would allow producers to receive direct financial compensation for productivity drops triggered by extreme climate disruptions.
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