Nueva Vizcaya town gets irrigation systems

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Farmers in a small Nueva Vizcaya town need no longer be at the mercy of seasonal rains anymore.

Some 335 hectares of rain-fed farms in the municipality of Dupax del Sur are expected to become more productive following the turnover of three communal irrigation systems, the Department of Agrarian Reform said Wednesday.

In a statement, DAR Regional Director Marjorie P. Ayson said the project cost the government P21.6 million and would benefit 318 farmers covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

The irrigation facilities are located in Duppes-Mangayang, which will service 100 hectares of land for 100 beneficiaries;  Allawan, which will service 200 hectares of land and benefit 191 farmers; and Palabotan, which will irrigate 35 hectares and help 27 beneficiaries.

“These three completed CIS (communal irrigation systems) will irrigate a total of 335 hectares of farmlands providing sufficient irrigation water for 318 farmers during their cropping cycle,” Ayson said.

Dupax del Sur Mayor Ruben S. Basconcillo Jr. expressed his appreciation to the DAR for the implementation of the project, which was expected to help farmers become more productive particularly in the remote areas, A DAR press release said.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Primo C. Lara urged farmer beneficiaries to take care of the irrigation facilities and other post-harvest tools since maintenance and sustainability of these were now in their hands.

Antonio C. Lara, acting regional manager of the National Irrigation Administration in Region 2, said the improvement in the irrigation system would boost economic activities in the province.

He said it would also contribute to food sustainability and the rice self-sufficiency efforts of the government.