Apayao: Farmers in two towns in the province of Apayao are expected to have improved production and better income through solar-powered irrigation facilities given to them by the government. In a message to the Philippine News Agency on Friday, Vice Governor and irrigators' association president Remy Albano said the solar projects would cut the cost of production and increase productivity and food sustainability.
According to Philippines News Agency, Albano expressed gratitude to the government, specifically the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), for their support, which he believes will enhance the income and production of Apayao farmers. His statement coincided with the recent turnover of two solar-powered irrigation projects worth PHP18.5 million to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Barangay Marcela, Sta. Marcela town, and Barangay Dagupan in the municipality of Luna.
The solar-powered irrigation project in Marcela, valued at PHP7.5 million, is funded under the 2023 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program- Irrigation Component (CARP-IC) and is set to serve 22 farmers by irrigating 15 hectares. Meanwhile, the PHP11-million Dagupan project, under the 2024 CARP-IC fund, will benefit 34 farmers working on 24 hectares of land. Both projects are equipped with solar-powered pumps, canals, and other irrigation structures designed to ensure consistent water supply for irrigation.
These systems allow farmers to save on fuel and electricity costs, enabling them to grow more crops throughout the year and increase their income. The projects also offer the opportunity to cultivate a wider variety of crops, contributing to improved local food supply. Albano emphasized the financial benefits, noting that the solar power eliminates the need for gasoline, thus reducing production costs and boosting farmers' earnings.
Samuel Bahiwag, NIA-Apayao provincial manager, confirmed in a phone interview that the projects were funded from the DAR's CARP fund for ARBs. He highlighted the success of these initiatives, explaining that the areas now benefiting from irrigation previously lacked such systems. With the CARP fund from DAR, these regions are now able to receive much-needed irrigation, which is particularly beneficial for Apayao, where rice is the primary product in irrigated areas.
