By Sarwell Meniano and Roel Amazona
KANANGA, Leyte – Farmers in this town expect lower production costs and a more reliable water supply, particularly during dry spells, following the completion of the Tugbong Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Project.
Judith Rio, president of the 66-member Tonay Solar Irrigators Association, which serves farmers in Barangays Tugbong and Sto. Niño said the project is already helping members reduce their farming expenses.
“From PHP15,000 in production costs per hectare, the amount will be reduced to PHP10,000 per hectare. This means additional income for us,” Rio told the Philippine News Agency.
Before the project was completed, association members had to spend considerable amounts on fuel to operate water pumps that drew water from a nearby river to irrigate their rice fields.
“This is a big help to our farmers because the financial burden has been reduced. In the past, we had to wait for rainfall before starting land preparation. With this project, we can prepare our land for planting even during the dry season,” Rio said.
Herminigildo Vencilao, 56, another association member, said the project would help farmers maintain crop production despite drought conditions.
Vencilao, who cultivates three hectares of sweet potatoes, said access to irrigation water would eliminate the need to rely on fuel-powered pumps to water his crops during dry spells.
“We can get water directly from the irrigation system instead of using water pumps to water our crops during drought. We can save a lot because we no longer have to buy fuel to operate our pumps,” he said.
Implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Tugbong Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Project is designed to provide a year-round water supply to 115 hectares of farmland in Barangays Tugbong and Sto. Niño.
The PHP91.5 million project uses solar energy to operate irrigation pumps, reducing farmers’ dependence on fuel-powered equipment and helping strengthen the resilience of local agriculture to increasingly challenging weather conditions.
Kananga Mayor Manuel Vicente Martinez Torres thanked the national government for investing in agricultural infrastructure and food security, saying reliable irrigation would help farmers plant on schedule, protect their crops, and improve their families’ livelihoods.
“The municipal government of Kananga stands ready to work with the NIA and our farmers to support the effective operation and proper maintenance of this project. We will continue advocating for programs that improve agricultural productivity, strengthen climate preparedness, and create better opportunities for our rural communities,” Torres said.
During the project’s inauguration on Friday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government was adopting modern technologies to improve irrigation systems nationwide and increase agricultural production.
Marcos expressed hope that a more reliable water supply would enable farmers to increase their harvests and, where conditions permit, add another cropping season.
“Baka ‘yung mga dati dalawang planting seasons lamang, ay baka maparami natin, magawa natin ng tatlong planting seasons. Basta na alam naman natin, ang patubig lang naman talaga ang pinakaimportante dyan (Perhaps areas that previously had only two planting seasons could increase this to three. We know that water supply is the most important factor in farming),” he said
The President said irrigation development had been a priority of his administration since 2022.
He added that the government was also distributing smaller solar-powered pumps to farmers through the Department of Agriculture to help reduce their operating expenses. (PNA)
