NIA-CAR: DEVELOPS 113,539 HECTARES NEW SERVICE AREAS

April 26, 2024 Provincial

Cordillera’s irrigation development posts 61.24 percent accomplishment

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet A total of 113,539.32 hectares (Has.) of new service areas have been developed equivalent to 61.24 percent accomplishment, the National Irrigation Administration-Cordillera (NIACAR) said. The region has a total of 185, 406 Has. potential irrigable areas. Based on NIA-CAR’s Status of Irrigation Development (Dec. 31, 2023),Kalinga topped the list with new areas developed at 30,486.91 Has. (68.99 percent) followed by Abra with 20, 748.93 Has. (80.83 percent) , Ifugao with 20,469.24 Has. (79.25 percent) and Benguet 16,442.31 Has. (63.86 percent). Mt Province with 12,823.17 Has. developed new areas at 68.99 percent and Apayao 12,568.76 Has. with
37.07 percent accomplishment.

A total of 71, 866.68 Has. are remaining areas for development. On the new service areas -communal irrigation system (CIS) , NIA assisted a total of 60, 151.60 Has. other government agencies assisted posted at 9,563.05 Has . while a total of 3,378 Has on national irrigation project. Meanwhile, as of March 31, some 251 irrigation projects
were completed out of the 272 total project programmed for 2023, equivalent to 90 percent accomplishment. These projects include, Repair of Ground Pump Irrigation System (RGPIS), Establishment of Ground Pump Irrigation System (ERGPIS), repair of communal irrigation system (CIS) and restoration of national irrigation systems (NIS)
and service roads, among others.

A total of 16,374 farmers were benefitted and generated 8,681 jobs across the region. Also for 2023, the agency has developed a total of 890 Has. of new service areas and restored 2,551. 45 Has. for a total of 3,442.39 Has. In 2023, the agency received a total allocation of P1.651 billion.

Primo Agatep/ABN