ILOILO CITY (PIA) — Farmers affected by El Niño in Western Visayas are receiving irrigation support, according to the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas (DA-WV).
While the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) handles major irrigation systems, the DA-WV provides assistance to areas not covered by the NIA.
This development was highlighted during the recent Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, where DA-WV regional executive director Dennis Arpia emphasized the importance of expanding irrigation infrastructure.
“We have our comprehensive irrigation master plan and would like to make sure na yun din po ang tinututukan ng aming kalihim na magkaroon ng mga solar power irrigation system at mga applicable irrigation system dun po sa mga areas na hindi abot ng NIA,” Arpia said.
(We have a comprehensive irrigation master plan, and we aim to ensure the provision of solar power irrigation systems and applicable irrigation systems in areas not covered by NIA.)
The NIA is advancing two notable small-scale irrigation projects which include the Guimaras Island Project, called the Cabano Small Reservoir Irrigation Project which aims to enhance agricultural production, create jobs, and improve the living standards of six barangays, benefiting 1,304 farmers by irrigating 861 hectares of rice land in the province.
Meanwhile, the Tyabanan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Negros Island focuses on improving irrigation systems and sustainable water supply, covering 2,087 hectares with a potential irrigated area of 4,000 hectares and impacting eight barangays.
Additionally, the Imbang, Malogo, and Sicaba Watershed Convergence Area Development Plan (IMSW CADP) in Negros Occidental, part of the National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCI-SRD), aims to mitigate El Niño impacts and promote sustainable rural development.
NIA reported that as of April 2024, the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project (JRMP II) is now 74.45 percent complete, with a completion target by the end of 2025.
The Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project in Tapaz, Capiz, aims to develop a 13,950-hectare irrigable service area, benefiting 25,046 farmers and 9,378 Indigenous Peoples households across 16 municipalities.
Both the NIA and the DA provide critical support to farmers.
“So when it comes to resiliency, farmers in Western Visayas excel,” Arpia noted. (AAL/ED/PIA 6)
