FARMERS IN ABRA BENEFIT FROM SOLAR-POWERED PUMPS
TUBO, Abra
More than 30 farmers in the remote barangay of Supo in the municipality of Tubo in Abra, are benefitting from the solar powered-water pump system project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Supo is around 70 kilometers away from the capital town of Bangued. It is occupied by almost 800 locals of the Maeng tribe. Located in the southernmost portion of the province, farmers here often go to the towns of San Emilio and Candon in Ilocos Sur to market their farm produce. The DOST through its Community Empowerment
through Science and Technology (CEST) program was able to bring a solar-powered water system in the barangay, increasing the
farmers’ efficiency and productivity.
Equipped with submersible pumps, solar panels, aluminum railings, sprinklers and 2,000- liter tanks, the water system delivers irrigation services to more than 5,000 square meters of farmlands. Supo Farmers and Irrigators Association president Lazaro Mannog said that
farmers in the barangay are experiencing the impact of the project. According to Mannog, they previously used water pumps mounted on a tractor’s engine to irrigate their farms, which entailed additional expenses for gasoline. “Narigat ti kasasaad idi a ta aggastos kami pay tigasolina, ken masapul nga adda ti kadwam ngamangoperate ti water pump ti kuliglig. isu ngadakkel nga nam-ay kaniami daytoy nga solar water pump ta maysa nga switch laeng, adda tidanum na,” Mannog said.
(It was difficult then because we had to spendfor gasoline and we needed a companion to assist with the tractor pumps. So, this solar-powered water pump is a huge relief for us; just switch a button, and there’s water.) Supo Punong Barangay Tomy Gorio shared that with the solar pumping system, the farmers who comprise the majority of the residents, have now a reliable water source for irrigation maximizing the second cropping especially during dry season. “Ti number one a produkto mi ditoy ket pagay. Malpas ti apit sumaruno nga imula mi ket mais, tabako ken dadduma a nat-nateng isu ngamaususar da daytoy water pump ti DOST,” Gorio said.
(Our primary crop here is rice. After harvest, we plant corn, tobacco and other vegetables, so this water system also provides water to
irrigate our crops for the next cropping.) Some fisherfolk here also benefit from the water pump system, providing them with an adequate source of water for their ponds.
(JDP/CAGT-PIA CAR, Abra)
