On March 21, the poor town of Taraka, Lanao del Sur takes a bold step to reduce poverty among its people as it avails of a P100-M loan facility from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for the construction of six solar-powered irrigation systems and a potable water supply system.
Taraka becomes the first town in Mindanao to enrol in the Mindanao Water Program, a joint project of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the Department of interior and Local Government (DILG) and DBP.
The Mindanao Water Program, conceptualized and initiated by MinDA, aims to provide water to every village in Mindanao through the solar-powered system or conventional irrigation system both for drinking and agriculture.
It aims to provide safe drinking water for villages and irrigation water for livelihood and agricultural production.
It was launched in Davao City on Dec. 6 and at least six local government units are now in the process of enrolling in the program with Taraka taking the lead.
The program is based on LGU self-reliance and is designed to be economically viable through an Economic Enterprise Concept where fees are collected from the beneficiaries to pay off the loans.
In the case of Taraka, the wife and husband team of Mayor Nashida and Vice Mayor Aminoden Sumagayan, the six solar powered irrigation systems are intended to improve and increase the rice production of Taraka’s farmers whose farms are dependent on rainwater.
With the solar-irrigation systems, farmers hope to plant twice a year at least and increase their yield from 3-metric tons once a year to 6 metric tons per harvest per hectare or 12 metric tons in one year.
The Solar-Powered Water System is also designed to provide drinking water for the town’s 25,000 residents who have relied on the Taraka river for their water needs for generations.
Just like the Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems, the Solar-Powered Potable Water Supply System will be part of the Economic Enterprise Program of the town.
DBP President Emmanuel Herbosa has committed that the bank will consider a socialized interest rate for the loan to support President Rody Duterte’s program to reduce poverty, improve productivity and promote peace in Mindanao.
The signing of the loan documents is expected to be held in Taraka town proper on March 21 in the presence of farmers and residents of the town.
Taraka is expected to serve as a model to other LGUs in Mindanao of rural development through self-reliance and economic enterprise.
(Photos attached to this post show solar irrigation systems implemented by the Department of Agriculture.)
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