The national government has earmarked P3 billion for irrigation projects servicing 98,000 hectares of croplands to boost farm production and reach the projected agricultural sector growth of four to five percent for 2007.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said in a press statement that with the proposed P3 billion outlay for irrigation, the Department of Agriculture expects the National Irrigation Administration to repair and rehabilitate irrigation facilities servicing a total of 97,000 to 98,000 hectares this year.

Yap said the P3-billion rehabilitation work is, so far, the biggest reform program for Philippine irrigation in 30 years The P3-billion allocation for irrigation is anchored on the congressional approval of the proposed 2007 General Appropriations Act, including the DA outlay of about P5 billion.

In areas where irrigation facilities are used to fill the requirements for potable water, the DA will encourage farmers to shift from rice to corn and other high-value crops, especially during the dry season, the statement added.

While in places being served by dependable irrigation systems, the DA will push for farmers to adjust their planting and harvesting calendars to avoid the typhoon months.

It has also advised farmers to plant two dry-season crops, and a wet-season crop combined with fish production in areas with natural ponds. The first dry-season crop could be planted in November or December, and the second crop in March or April.

The DA is projecting that in the next three years, the repair and rehabilitation of irrigation systems will cover 300,000 hectares of ricelands to boost the country's goal of rice sufficiency by 2010, the statement added. The country presently has a total of 1.413 million hectares of irrigated lands, of which 695,774 hectares are serviced by national irrigation systems or NIS; another 543,262 hectares serviced by communal irrigation systems or CIS; and 174,200 hectares more serviced by privately-owned facilities.

The DA said it will also continue to promote water conservation technologies and conduct cloud seeding operations in areas where these are necessary.*

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