TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—Ricardo R. Visaya, administrator of the National Irrigation Administration, was keynote speaker during the NIA-Irrigation Associations day at the University of Cagayan Valley Greyhounds Gymnasium here.
This year’s theme, “Strengthening Partnership for Changing Times,” NIA-IA DAY highlighted 27 IAs as Outstanding Performers and Most Outstanding Performers in the National Irrigation System and Communal Irrigation System Category and Project implementation that NIA Region 2 is working on in support to the food sufficiency program of the government.
Visaya said the government extended Free Irrigation Service Fee for marginalized farmers to alleviate their burden on farming expenditures and improve their living conditions thru increased rice production.
“As private entities [Irrigation Association], they can collect dues from their members to support their own operation and maintenance activities,” Visaya said.
Stressing rice productivity takes the efforts of government line agencies and the farmers themselves, Visaya advised the Irrigators Association to use water wisely and effectively assuring them of NIA’s assistance.
Altogether, let us overcome the challenge in food production, make development in irrigation and modernized agriculture. Each one is a provider and partner in the success of the government.
Meanwhile, Regional Irrigation Manager Antonio Lara expressed gratitude to NIA Administrator Ricardo Visaya for having him around in the celebration among the Irrigator’s Association across the region.
“This is an opportune time for us to be gathered together and have once proven that NIA and the Irrigators Association have a strong and long-term affiliation.
“The Irrigation Development of Region 2 will usher our efforts in sustaining the food production program of the government, RIM,” Lara said, citing the Region has a potential area for irrigation totaling to 472,640 hectares.
Engineer Francis Yu, division manager for Cagayan-Batanes Irrigation Office said the celebration serves as an avenue for the agency and the farmers and giving recognition to the Regional Confederation of IA’s as well to the IA Federation of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan Batanes IMO as the country’s backbone for economy.
“The challenge to enhance production efficiency at the lowest cost remains to be a stumbling block,” yet we still have a lot to work out together to attain adequacy, Yu said.
As of December 2016, the area developed for irrigation is 292,859.41 hectares. The remaining area for development is 179,781 hectares which gives us 61.96 percent irrigation development rate. The programmed area for development from CY 2017- 2021 per our irrigation development plan is 1.54 percent or 7,270 hectares.
By province, the irrigation development rate is as follows; Cagayan at 71.72%, Batanes at 9.51%, Isabela at 57.72%, Quirino at 49.54% and Nueva Vizcaya at 65.30%, Lara said.
RIM Lara gave an update on Project implementation that NIA Region 02; for Cagayan and Isabela. The Nassiping Project will generate metric tons/hectare of palay per cropping to facilitate the rice requirement of the people of Gattaran, and Chico River Pump Irrigation Project with a total project cost of P 2.696 billion will contribute in feeding the people of Tuao, Cagayan.
These two major projects in Cagayan will elevate the production capacity of our farmer beneficiaries to ensure adequate rice for the consumption of in the entire province of Cagayan, RIM Lara stressed.
For the province of Isabela, we have the following projects; PASA Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Pasa, Ilagan, City Isabela and the Tumauini River Multi-purpose (TRMP) project Total Cost is P4.458billion and the Dabubu River Irrigation Project and Dibuluan river Irrigation Project.
Recently, the Regional Development Council 02 submitted a Resolution to NIA and the SENATE recommending for the provision of assistance like FREE ISF to Communal Irrigation Systems and those Privately-Owned Irrigation Systems. We remain positive that this commendable initiative will be considered by the SENATE’s Committee on Agriculture and Food which is creating a Bill redefining the mandate and operation of NIA, Lara disclosed.
This year’s theme: “NIA & IA- Strengthening Partnership for Changing Times “is indeed appropriate with the implementation of the FREE ISF effective 1st Cropping Season of 2017 (Dry Season Crop 2017) in fulfillment to the campaign promise of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
