Using Solar Power! THE PARADOX OF EL NIÑO AND PRODUCTIVE FARMING By Manny Piñol

I have been asked several times how does the farmer prepare for and neutralise the damage caused by a long dry spell or El Nino?

My stock answer has always been: Irrigate.

That may sound paradoxical because how do you irrigate where there is a drought?

Again, my answer is: Emulate the Kung Fu Masters by using the strength of the “enemy” to overpower him.

This is precisely the philosophy behind the adoption by the Department of Agriculture of the Solar-Powered Irrigation System or SPIS.

The idea of embracing Solar-Powered Irrigation for Philippine Agriculture came to my mind when I was in Aparri, Cagayan in May of 2016, shortly before I assumed office as Secretary of Agriculture.

Beside the parched rice fields was the mighty Cagayan River but whose water could not be used to irrigate the farms because the banks were so high.

That was when I remembered what I saw in the Tilapia Farm of my friend, Rocky French in the middle of the desert in Coachella Valley, Southern California.

Using hundreds of solar panels to run three water pumps, Rocky drew water from underground to fill up his ponds and raise world-class quality Tilapia.

In the same area, vegetable plantations growing Bell Peppers and others and vine yards were thriving in spite of the fact that there would only be about four rains a year.

The area virtually has El Niño or drought all year round but the farmers do not complain of crop damage or inability to plant.

The reason is simple: they use the power of the Sun, which causes the drought, to power Solar Pumps to produce water.

Also, the sustained and sufficient sunlight promotes effective photosynthesis thus resulting in greater productivity.

The El Niño or drought has been occurring with greater frequency over the last two decades, hitting our farms every two years now.

Unless we decide to invest in Solar-Powered Irrigation and implement it nationwide, our farmers will always suffer every time El Niño hits the country.

Not even an agriculture expert with several Phd’s could stop that or ease the suffering of our farmers.

I made this call as early as 2016 but mine was a voice in the wilderness. In fact, one economic mind said that he does not see the correlation between Solar-Powered Irrigation and greater productivity.

With the El Niño hitting us again now and farmers crops getting devastated, we see the clear correlation.

We have to do it now or else we will regret it. Let this be a fair warning to our policy makers and budget managers.

#LandSunlightWater!

#FoodGrowsWhereWaterFlows!

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