NIA-CAR completes 121 irrigation projects, generated 3,834 jobs in CY 2019

January 28, 2020 Agriculture

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet- A total of 121 irrigation projects was completed and it generated 3,834 jobs in CY 2019, the National Irrigation Administration-Cordillera (NIA-CAR) reported on Friday (Jan.24).
The projects are in line with agency’s mission to improve farmers’ quality of life and contribute to the inclusive growth of the region and to the country as a whole.
The figure (121 completed projects) is equivalent to 60.9 percent and 59.6 percent in physical and finish status of accomplishment, respectively. Total value of accomplishment worth Php667.430 million, and benefited a total of 4,194 farmer irrigates across the region
In 2019, the agency has a total allocation of Php 1.499,725 billion and has targeted a total of 304 projects. These are based on the Status of Project Implementation for CY 2019 (December 31,2019) submitted recently to Benito Espique, J., regional manager of NIA-CAR by Engineer Samuel Bahiwag, chief of the agency’s engineering section and Sammy Kimbungan, senior engineer, respectively.
In actual accomplishment, a total of 720 hectares (ha.) of new areas were generated and restored 257 ha. for a total of 877 ha. Summary per province (completed projects)- Kalinga 42, Ifugao 30, Mt Province 29, Benguet 8, Abra 7 and Apayao 5.
Projects that were undertaken as per fund source are—Establishment of Groundwater Pump Irrigation (EGPIP),Repair of Groundwater Pump Irrigation System (RGPIS),Extension/Expansion of Existing Communal Irrigation System (EEECIS), Extension/Expansion of Existing National Irrigation System (EEENIS), Small Irrigation Project (SIP).
The other projects include – Coconet Protection in Communal and National Irrigation System, Climate Change Adaption Works (CCAW), Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Irrigation Component (CARP-IC), Improvement of Service Roads in National Irrigation System and Balikatan Sagip Patubig Program (BSPP).
Meanwhile, the agency completed 264 out of the total 278 projects programmed in CY 2018. The remaining 14 projects are still on going. While 306 projects were also finished out of the total 307 targeted in CY 2017.
A total of 18,871 farmers benefitted in the CY 2017-2018 projects.

Primo Agatep/ABN