El Niño Dispatch
NIA implements projects covering 200,000 hectares, creates 100,000 jobs
The Department of Agriculture completed in 2009 the rehabilitation and restoration of irrigation systems and facilities covering more than 200,000 hectares of farmland, which created close to 100,000 jobs in the countryside.
In a report to DA Acting Secretary Bernie Fondevilla, the National irrigation Administration (NIA) said that its programs benefited almost 80,000 farming households and brought to 456,251 hectares in the national irrigation systems.
“The target is to complete by 2010 the rehabilitation and restoration of 368,000 hectares non-functional area to increase the irrigated area in the country and so far 220,000 hectares have been accomplished,” said NIA OIC Administrator Alex Reuyan in a report to Fondevilla.
The NIA’s stepped-up implementation of its irrigation program is in step with the DA’s policy shift on the watch of Secretary Yap from soft initiatives like fertilizer subsidies to hard projects such as irrigation, farm-to-market roads (FMRs) and postharvest facilities.
Irrigation and other rural infrastructure such as FMRs are among the components of President Arroyo’s FIELDS initiative, which is her administration’s centerpiece program to attain food security and sufficiency over the medium term.
FIELDS stands for Fertilizers, Irrigation and other rural infrastructure like FMRs, Extension services and education for farmers, Loans, Dryers and other postharvest facilities, and Seeds and other genetic materials.
This year, under the Irrigation and other rural infrastructure component, the DA is targeting 16,358 hectares of new areas to be generated, while 92,255 hectares will be rehabilitated, and 108,000 hectares restored to increase production and meet the demands of a growing population.
The DA will likewise construct or rehabilitate 3,107 kilometers of FMRs to link production areas, fishports and fish landings to markets.
In 2009, the NIA completed the rehabilitation of facilities servicing 123,537 hectares and the restoration of others covering 89,638 hectares, generating 97,976 jobs and benefiting 79,758 farm households with a funding of P8 billion, Reuyan said. (DA Press Office)
Shallow tube wells distribution in Region IV-A
Sariaya, Quezon – As part of the mitigating measures outlined by the Presidential Task Force for El Nino, the Department of Agriculture Region IV-A through its Banner Programs ( Ginintuang Masaganang Ani-Corn, Rice, HVCC) recently distributed 28 units of shallow tube wells (STWs) to rice farmers of Quezon, Laguna and Rizal.
According to Assistant Secretary and Concurrent Regional Executive Director of DA Region IV-A Dennis B. Araullo in his report to Agriculture Acting Secretary Bernie Fondevilla, even without the onslaught of EL Nino DA IV-A had long been distributing STWs and in fact distributed 33 units last year spearheaded by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM). However, he said that with the disturbing effects of this phenomenon to the agricultural sector, there is a compelling need to procure additional 150 units of STWs which will be distributed to other affected provinces of CALABARZON.
“This dry spell brought about by the El Nino Phenomenon is indeed wrecking havoc to our farmers. As such, the Department of Agriculture has devised measures to alleviate the present conditions of our farming sector. Distribution of shallow tube wells to vulnerable areas is one of its strategies. I hope that with the assistance being given by the government to CALABARZON farmers, the effects of El Nino can be minimized to a very manageable level,” Asec Araullo.
During the distribution of the STWs in the provinces of Quezon, Laguna and Rizal, Asec Araullo was ably assisted by Engr. Abelardo R. Bragas, Regional Technical Director for Operations and Regulatory.
It must be recalled that the country has been experiencing El Nino since December 2009. According to report, damage to agriculture could reach P8 billion if the effect is mild. However, if the dry spell becomes severe, the damage could double to P12 billion. (DA RAFID IVA)
