NIA chief Ricardo Visaya, Congressman Maricel Nagaño, NIA-UPRIIS department manager Rosalinda Bote, and other officials unveil the marker of Peñaranda solar-powered pump project. Photo by Armand Galang
PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija – Two multi-million solar-powered pump projects that were designed to provide local farmers cost-effective alternative in pumping out irrigation water from main canals here and in San Isidro town were inaugurated in ceremonies led by National Irrigation Administration chief Ricardo R. Visaya on Tuesday.
Visaya saidt the San Isidro and Peñaranda Solar-Powered Pump Projects of Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS) Division IV in Barangay Pulo and Barangay San Josef, respectively, were part of the agency’s effort to modernize the irrigation system.
Records showed that the P20.461-million project, which main source of water is the main canal of the Peñaranda Dam, is expected to provide reliable irrigation water supply in its 228.878-hectare service area located in barangays Poblacion I, Poblacion II, and Santo Tomas in Peñaranda; and Pambuan, Gapan City, benefiting a total of 114 farmer-members of Penaranda IA.
On the other hand, the P17,780-million San Isidro Solar Powered Pump Project situated in Barangay Pulo, San Isidro will benefit 159 farmer-beneficiaries and their families in 323.2762-hectare agricultural lands, covering barangays Pulo and Mangga. Its main water source is the Malimba Creek.
Visaya said the projects will assure a 24/7 year-round irrigation to upland areas that used to be supplied through costly diesel-fueled water pumps.
“Ang ating mga magsasaka, mama-maximize nila yung kita nila sa palay at siguro ito ay one way of reducing the price of rice. Kasi pagka nabawasan natin yung production cost ng palay of course pwedeng ibaba yung presyo ng bigas,” Visaya said in an interview.
The NIA, he said, has already distributed over 150 projects of this kind nationwide and has earmarked some P1 billion for 2022.
The facilities will be maintained by the farmers’ groups called irrigators’ associations but will be closely supervised by NIA personnel or technicians, he explained.
Visaya added that they are still coordinating with the Israeli government to further enhanced the projects: “Dahil alam natin na yung solar irrigation system ng Israel is very efficient and very effective kaya nakikipag-ugnayan kami sa government of Israel na kung paano maka-access ng system nila at maybe they can provide us with soft loans.”
Engineer Rosalinda Bote, UPRIIS department manager, said the creation of solar-powered pumps were among the “modern and dynamic projects of the agency.”
“The installation of solar-powered pumps is part of the agency’s thrust to foster proficiency and resiliency for proficient irrigation service through innovations and modernization as directed by our administrator,” Bote said. “The use of innovative solar pumps helps reduce the cost of inputs in farmers as it implores cost-effective alternative power source.”.
She noted that the inauguration of solar-powered pumps was held a few months after the commissioning of the Upper Tabuating Small Reservoir Irrigation Systems in Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
Local officials, including Nueva Ecija 4th District Rep. Maricel Natividad-Nagaño and former Peñaranda Mayor Ferdinand Abersamis for the provincial government’s agriculture office, hailed the projects as a big leap towards the government’s aim of uplifting the farmers’ condition.
