Advisory to farmers!

HERE’S HOW YOU COULD GET

SOLAR IRRIGATION IN YOUR AREA

Farmers who are asking what the Solar Powered Irrigation Systems Program of the Department of Agriculture should read this:

1. The Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) program is a new innovation introduced by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to provide irrigation water to the farms, not only rice farms.

This was launched by President Rody Duterte in March 2017 and today, 169 units are being constructed all over the country.

2. Each unit could irrigate up to 100 hectares, depending on the source of water and it saves farmers from the high cost of diesel fuel which they need for their water pumps.

Using solar panels to power water drawing engines, the SPIS could source water from deep rivers, creeks, water impounding and even wells.

3. Since it relies on solar power, the SPIS is ideal for the dry season planting, including periods of drought when even the regular Irrigation Systems of NIA could not provide water.

There is no interruption in the supply of water, unlike NIA which closes the irrigation systems when they maintain the dikes and the canals, because the water is distributed through plastic pipes.

4. SPIS is a lot cheaper compared to conventional water systems since the development cost per hectare is only about P120,000 compared to about P450,000 in the NIA systems.

It can be constructed in less than six months and the coverage area is expandable by building a bigger reservoir and adding more pipes.

5. With SPIS, fertilization and even the application of herbicides could now be done by simply mixing the fertilizer or herbicides in the water kept in the reservoir thus adding to farm efficiency.

For farmers who have areas which they believe are suitable to the SPIS, we ask them to help us get funding for the project by talking to their Congressmen and asking them to lobby for the allocation of funds for the SOLAR POWERED IRRIGATION SYSTEM PROGRAM of the DA.

This needs to be done because many of our budget planners still do not appreciate the impact of the SPIS on greater agricultural productivity.

From over 100 units in 2017 and 2018, our budget for the SPIS in 2019 will only allow us to build 11 units.

Farmers should convince their Congressmen to get funding for SPIS in their districts.

https://fb.watch/aG5QBTRlaU/