By Manny Piñol
President Rody Duterte will lead the commissioning of the second fully-operational Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) in Central Luzon in June to signify his support for the Flagship Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) which could irrigate up to 500,000 hectares in the remaining four years of his administration.
During the ceremonies last night in Malacañang where he signed into law two Congresdional bills, I informed Pres. Duterte that the first SPIS in Matalam, North Cotabato was commissioned last week and now irrigates 40-hectares of previously rain-fed rice farms.
His face brightened when I told him that the Solar-Powered Irrigation System was completed in just days at a cost of only P6.4-M for a development cost of only P150,000 per hectare as compared to about P450,000 per hectare for conventional irrigation systems.
He readily agreed when I asked him to lead the commissioning of the second SPIS.
“Yes, I will do it. Just check my schedule with (SAP) Bong (Go),” he told me.
A total of 117 SPIS will be built all over the country this year expected to irrigate almost 5,000 hectares.
In March 2017, President Duterte witnessed the demonstration of the SPIS proto-type in New Janiuay, Mlang, North Cotabato.
The project received the endorsement of Pres. Duterte ushering in a new technology in providing irrigation to at least 2-million hectares of rain-fed rice farms.
With the target of 500,000 hectares overbthe next 4 years, an estimated 4-million metric tons of paddy rice will be added to the current production of 19-million metric tons.
The added production volume of 2-million metric tons of milled rice will make the country rice sufficient.
At current production level, the country still needs to import about 600,000 to 800,000 metric tons of rice.
With solar-powered irrgation, however, things could change drastically by 2022.
The advantage of the Solar-Irrigation System is that hundreds of units could be constructed at the same time in just two months and less expense.
(Photos by Mayette Tudlas)
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