The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) recently turned over five completed irrigation projects costing P27 million to irrigators’ associations in Isabela City, Basilan.
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya said the turned over projects will benefit a total of 117 farmers and their families. The five irrigation projects are the Mahayahay Communal Irrigation System in Maluso; Tabiawan Communal Irrigation System in Isabela City; Kalayan Communal Irrigation System in Lantawan; Semut Small Irrigation Project in Akbar; and Colonia Communal Irrigation System in Lamitay City.
Visaya, who led the turnover ceremony held in Basilan, reminded regional NIA officials to “use budget accountably and wisely.”
“I always advocate completion of irrigation projects on time, and even ahead if possible, because delayed projects mean depriving the beneficiaries of the benefits that they should be enjoying. Project implementation must be strictly monitored and inspected. It’s up for us to do what is right and what is legal,” he said in a statement.
In his message, Visaya took the opportunity to address issues and concerns arising from the current status of irrigation development in the area.
“The production of 60 cavans per hectare is saddening. We should maximize the investment,” he said.
In coordination with the Department of Agriculture and local government units, Visaya encouraged NIA regional officials to help the farmers in increasing their yields.
Along this line, he instructed the regional office to bring the recipients of the five turned over projects to irrigation system with IAs in other provinces/regions that are successfully operating and maintaining the system and whose average farm yield ranges to 80 to 100 cavans per hectare.
The NIA chief said this approach will give the farmers firsthand information on agricultural production.
For this year, the NIA’s target is to irrigate 33,247 hectares of new areas and restore irrigation in 14,460 hectares.
However, the agency has only irrigated 2,193 hectares of new areas, or about 7 percent of its 2018 target, as of July 31. As for restored areas, it was only able to cover around 1,258 hectares, or 9 percent, of its full-year goal.
For next year the NIA is eyeing to irrigate an additional 36,700 hectares of land, which is smaller compared to its target area of 47,707 hectares for 2018. Of the total target next year, about 31,400 hectares are new areas, while 5,300 hectares are for restoration.