Small farmers from Occidental Mindoro will now have access to sustainable water sources that will boost agricultural production in the area, according to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
The DAR has recently turned over a small irrigation system (SIP) worth P22.2 million to the Mambog-Barahan Irrigators Association Inc., in Barangay Barahan in Sta. Cruz.
DAR Undersecretary for field operations office Kazel Celeste and Assistant Secretary for support services Ubaldo Sadiarin Jr. led the simple turnover ceremony to the leaders of the group.
“The facility will irrigate the farm lots to help increase the rice, corn, and vegetable harvest of farmers. This is part of the department’s goal to improve the lives of the agrarian reform beneficiaries,” Celeste said.
The irrigation facility will supply water to 109 hectares of land cultivated by more than 150 farmers of the Barahan-Pinagturilan agrarian reform community.
“With this irrigation facility, they don’t have to depend on the weather to plant rice because these would supply them enough water to keep the fields irrigated all year round,” Sadiarin said.
Sadiarin added that the beneficiaries of the project will be provided with training and seminar on how to increase production.
The SIP is funded and monitored by the DAR under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) fund.
Officers and members of the Mambog-Barahan Irrigators Association Inc. expressed their gratitude to the DAR for implementing the project stating that the irrigation system would be of great help to the farmers since they will now be able to increase their rice production, especially this planting season.
The project will be managed by the Mambog-Barahan Irrigators Association Inc. from now on.
