With the rising cost of fuel, the government is harnessing solar power to help farmers irrigate their farmlands.
In a remote village of Nagpatayan in Banna, Ilocos Norte, some 26 agrarian reform beneficiaries are assured of a good harvest with a stable source of water without worry of expensive diesel pumps.
Florentino Pitpit, the chairperson of the Nagpatayan Agrarian Cooperative, said Wednesday they are “thankful and blessed” for the timely intervention of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) when it funded the installation of a solar-powered submersible pump to sustain their crops in the village.
The PHP856,204 project was funded under the climate-resilient farm productivity support project of the DAR. The solar-powered irrigation project was completed in April 2021 but the official turnover to the recipients was only set on March 9 due to the pandemic.
During the turnover ceremony in Nagpatayan village, DAR Secretary Bernie Cruz said the irrigation project is meant to address farmers’ woes, particularly during the dry season where water is scarce.
He urged farmers to take good care of the irrigation facility and maximize its use to make them more productive.
Cruz said the technology is “more cost-efficient than the fuel-powered irrigation pumps due to the rising cost of diesel.” Composed of solar panels, a pump, electronic controls to operate the pump, storage tank, and conveyance structures, the facility can irrigate around five hectares of farms during the dry season.
Aside from DAR, other government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) in partnership with local government units here had started the installation of more solar-powered irrigation systems such as in the rain-fed farmlands of Currimao, Pinili, and Piddig towns as well as in the city of Batac.
With the expected prolonged drought in the province, the Ilocos Norte government plans to establish more solar-powered irrigation system projects to help farmers produce off-season fruits and vegetables even in rainfed areas. (PNA)