The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) on Tuesday reported the planned and ongoing projects of the Marcos government in Occidental Mindoro.
NIA said among its projects are the 33 units of solar-powered pumps worth Php330 million; four small irrigation projects, Php77.4million; 9.09 kilometers of concrete canal, Php256.13 million; and the Lipitan SRIP impounding dam.
According to NIA, the solar-powered pumps will be installed throughout the province this year to irrigate 330 hectares of farmland, while the Lipitan SRIP will be constructed for water impounding during rainy season to serve as a long-term solution to droughts.
The four small irrigation projects are now being constructed through the 2024 national budget to irrigate 174 hectares of farmland. The NIA reported that the ongoing construction of concrete canals involved the development of 19 irrigation systems along with 77 units of canal structures for the continuous irrigation supply in the province.
Aside from its projects in the province, NIA reported the assistance it extended to El Niño-affected areas in the province.
The agency said it deployed three units of new long-arm backhoe and a unit of wheel-type backhoe to all affected areas needing immediate intervention for canal clearing and desilting works.
Some 1,200 liters of diesel fuel were distributed to farmers affected by the drought to subsidize the fuel requirement for diesel-powered water pumps in addition to 68 solar, diesel and water-powered pumps installed to irrigate 274 hectares of farmlands.
Also part of NIA’s assistance was the construction of 18.06 kilometers of concrete irrigation canal along with 64 units of canal structures improving the delivery of irrigation water.
Some 7.6 kilometers of canal was also desilted by the agency to ensure unhampered water delivery and high efficiency of irrigation services to local farmers.
NIA said Occidental Mindoro has 18,757.23 hectares of irrigated areas with 129.77 hectares registering total crop damage from El Nino. Some 95.02 hectares were considered stressed areas due to the dry spell. PND
