Suriyas, Minister of Agriculture, revealed a plan to tackle the "Super El Niño," ordering readiness with proactive measures emphasizing four strategies—storage, replenishment, adaptation, and monitoring—to minimize the impact on farmers.
27 Apr 2026 GMT+7 Suriyas Jungroongruangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, disclosed proactive measures to address the "Super El Niño" phenomenon, which causes extreme heat and below-normal rainfall, potentially damaging agricultural areas extensively this year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is preparing proactive measures focusing on four strategies: storage, replenishment, adaptation, and monitoring, to ensure farmers experience minimal impact. He ordered all affiliated agencies to urgently implement the following strategies:
1. Final-stage water management (Water Management) The Royal Irrigation Department was assigned to strictly manage water in main reservoirs, prioritizing water for consumption first, and to plan water distribution through irrigation canals to agricultural areas awaiting harvest.
2. Rainmaking operations to capture moisture (Rainmaking) The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department was tasked to deploy rapid-response units in drought-prone areas to replenish water in reservoirs and moisten forests and farmland immediately when weather conditions allow.
3. Promotion of high-value, low-water-use crops (Crop Substitution) Farmers are encouraged to switch to short-term crops that require less water and have market demand, reducing the risk of crop failure due to drought.
4. Early warning and relief system (Early Warning & Relief) through the Agricultural Disaster Monitoring and Response Center.
Additionally, Winarot Sapsongsuk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, stated that all agencies are ready to follow the orders by promptly establishing a special task force to closely monitor the situation, especially the El Niño impacts that might cause dry spells and drought. The ministry is also intensifying public communication to prepare farmers, enhancing the involvement of agricultural volunteers as a mechanism for implementation and communication. These volunteers will assist farmers in preparing to care for crops and relocate livestock if urgent situations arise, including providing One Stop Service via the "Pirunraj Agricultural Service Center" application as another channel.
Furthermore, related agencies were instructed to integrate weather and water volume data with meteorological and irrigation departments to plan efficient water management during El Niño. Teams will advise farmers on adjusting planting plans to align with the situation and reduce the risk of crop damage. They will also prepare timely assistance measures for affected areas to sustain farmers' income and livelihoods through the crisis.